Proud or Ashamed to be American?

I have had the privilege of meeting people from many countries: Australia, Ireland, England, South Africa, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thailand, Russia, Finland, Canada and even France. To a person these people love their countries and take quick offense to any word spoken against their nations. To a nation, every one of them has history that reveals the utter depravity that man can, does, and has, sank to in various periods throughout the recorded history of their respective nations, bringing poverty, ruin, and terror to their people.

It seems to me that there are few, if any, exceptions to that rule. I know the why of it to, and I don't find it shocking at all. Of course the details of the different atrocities shock me, my point is that there is no surprise in finding out that human's, in their imperfection, succumb to jealousy, greed, envy and covetousness to the point of murder and mayhem.

Yet, they are proud to be who they are and to stand for where they come from.

Which causes me to wonder why I, as an American, sharing in the human propensity for foolish as well as dangerous behaviors, am expected to be embarrassed and ashamed to be an American and o be glad to stand for my president and the nation that he represents, who I personally am, and where I come from. I don't understand why our countries public schools as well as the institutions of higher learning, have ingrained in the youth of today, shame for their country, it's history, and to accentuate the negative, and in effect, give them nothing to be proud of or to stand up for.

We live in a nation which possesses a unique history, and if we are honest we would all, every citizen, realize that fact. Did men (and women) mess things up for others because they share the human trait which is able to turn to the left just as easily as it turns to the right? For sure all human beings are capable of a myriad of behaviors, nothing new there, but surely we can agree that despite it all there were countless, righteous people from the very moment Europeans settled here in America, who gave their all to live rightly with their fellow human beings and with nature. The accomplishments of the people of this nation throughout generations, of all races would (and does) fill volumes, but many are ignored, discredited, or disregarded in favor instead of writings that point fingers, accuse, and plant shame in our hearts. I know this because it happened to me as a young high school student during the Viet Nam era.

But all that impressional stuff aside, shouldn't we be proud of our country? Shouldn't we learn from mistakes, punish as well as seek restitution from offenders, accentuate the positive and impress upon the upcoming generations truth tempered with mercy? How about honestly presenting the facts about the mistakes as well as the successes and achievements of all the people who went before us in the making of America? When do we ever read criticisms, especially such scathing ones as abound regarding our nation and its current leaders, about Russia or China or even France referencing in their past and/or even current hostility towards others even in their own countries?

I read a lot and often and I am ashamed for the way many of my fellow Americans treat our President, his Administration as well as people like me who disagree with much of the politically correct mindset of the day that seems to have a hold of MM (Major Media) in our nation today. It is one thing to disagree with someone, but quite another to speak with such disdain and total lack of respect or to be so totally intolerant of another person such as they are of anyone who doesn't agree with them! They themselves are such hypocrites and refuse to see it.

Where that leaves us is in a nation that has natives who will not stand up for it. A nation filled with many who disdain it, say they don't like what it stands for, but refuse to leave it and the lifestyle it affords them that they have grown quite accustomed to. Can anyone say hypocrite again?

There are many things in my own life that I am ashamed of and many thing in my life that I am proud of. Overall I think the better choice is to live on the positive, not the negative, side of life. And that is how I choose to address the nation I live in, the nation called the United States of America, which makes me an American, a name of which I am proud to be known as.