Proud To Be An American

*Here is something to stir things up. My opinions are my own.

I’m proud to be an American and not ashamed to let everyone know. I’m one of the few who still feels this way, though. Most people are ashamed to call this glorious country home--and so they don’t; they refer to their heritage whenever possible.

Why is it one is ‘proud to be an American’ until they have to fight to stay an American? It wasn’t so long ago when the citizens of this country were proud to be from the ‘Grand ‘Ole USA.’ There was a time when red, white and blue flags adorned every home. Today, instead of the American flag being flown high in the sky, you see Rebel flags from a Confederacy that hasn’t existed in decades. Flag burning was unheard of, and now it’s as common as going to Starbucks for your morning cup of coffee.

The president was once a man who was shown the utmost respect, whether one liked him or not. Today, the president is a man most in this country love to hate. We believed in him when we elected him in 2000 and when we re-elected him in 2004, so why can’t we believe in him now. We need to trust President Bush and those other elected officials to do what they think is best for our country. You don’t have to like him, but you shouldn’t hate him either! It’s a tough job being President of the United States of America!

Yes, this nation is fighting a war--a war some believe we shouldn’t be fighting, but does that mean we can’t support those brave men and women who are fighting to protect the freedoms and rights American citizens take for granted? Freedoms and rights any person in almost any other country would cherish and value as if there life depended on it, and maybe it does.
We live in the United States of America because we are supposed to be united, not divided, in the effort to protect this land of ours. If we were to pull out of Iraq or any other country we may be in right now, it would only be a matter of time before we will be faced yet again with a tragedy like 9/11. We came together then, and we need to come together now so our troops can come home as soon and as safe as possible, but now is not the right time.

If we don’t fight to protect ourselves and our land now in other places where you and I feel little effect, we will have to fight to protect ourselves and our land later here at home and our lives will be completely changed forever. Which one would you choose?