Are you proud to be an American at this point in time?

Question

I am so thankful for each and every military person past and present who give their lives, limbs and time to protect each and every one of us. I do not want this question to have anything to do with supporting or not supporting our military people past and present. I would like to know if you are proud to be an American. Do you feel that we project a good image in the world. When you travel abroad are you proud to say where you are from? My 16 year old daughter is traveling to Japan in June through a program started by President Eisenhaur...She will be a student ambassador there. She is really putting a great deal of thought into what America represents...Your feedback is most apperciated.

Answer 1

I have travelled quite a bit when I was in the military and I've seen both the good and bad that we have done, and continue to do, overseas. We have so much potential in this country to regain the respect that we once had as a country and as American citizens but I see us squandering it because so much of our current talk is divisive, isolationistic, and "damn the other guy" (refering to things like Kyoto treaty) that I am, at times, ashamed...but not about our country but the hatred and contempt we seem to have for everyone who doesn't agree with us.

This reminds me of what school yard bullies do...if you aren't with us you're against us. That's closed minded and arrogant, deserving of the title "ugly American." Our core values of respect and freedom, our Bill of Rights, our hard working ethics and "can do" attitude was, and is, emmulated across the globe...but somewhere we got lazy (not all of us, but I feel greed and sloth took over somewhere along the line).

Again, we have such incredible potential to lead the world in freedom and democracy but we've turned, at least our democracy, into a farce where only the rich get heard and the little guy is squeezed to death.

Answer 2

Yes!!!!!

If we project a bad image WHY are we still the magnet for immigration.

The "3rd World" is a large collection of a few Monarchies and lots of Dictatorships. So the info they get about us may be a bit, just a bit mind ya, wrong!

I have not been abroad since 1976. My stay in Germany was great. I did not visit any countries that might be a problem. Swizterland, Austria and England are not on any State Dept. "Do not go"lists.

When traveling abroad "When in Rome do as the Romans" works. Learn enough of the language to get yourself around on public transit, ordering food and drink. Learn how to not be rude.

America represents (my opinion) the freedom try. Success does not occur by standing still with your hands in your pockets. In places you are not allowed to try nothing can happen except what the State allows. Japan is no different in that regard.
America is were people came to do things they could not in the "Old Country". If the "Old Country" had been so great they would not have any reason to leave.
All those cultures blended. I would like to think that WE adopted the GOOD and left the bad part in the past. We are the "Melting Pot" or were.
Most of my ancestor did not speak English so they learned. Some got mad at those that did not.
They Melted, blended, adopted, made money, lost money.

When allowed to "try" life is the Lottery of Hope.....but only if you try.
I am sure that there are hopeless losers that will disagree....but you can do that here too!!!!

America represents a glass half full and the freedom to succeed, fail, contribute, complain or see the glass as half empty.

Answer 3

Unfortunately, I am sad to say ( I'd NEVER have believed it possible) I cannot always proclaim to be a proud American. I must also note that it is indeed a result of what our country has become over the course of the past 6 years. The best part of this being the case is that our great nation and it's people have overcome incredible adversity throughout history, and I expect we will again.

At one point, I was terrified we'd never overcome the appalling actions bestowed upon us by our current administration, but I've come to realize it's only a matter of time until we the people reclaim our great nation and flourish proud once again. We simply need to continue minimizing the damage that can be done to our beautiful nation and it's citizens over the course of the next 18 months, and bide our time until our nation's people can right the wrongs in our country, undoing the damage that has been done. God willing.....we will once again prevail.

To answer your question more so, my wife and I spent 6 weeks in New Zealand last summer. NZ had always been (traditionally--along with Australia) known as a country who loved Americans and the USA. This is no longer the case as they're currently at the forefront of the international community which now views us as deplorable and despicable.

As tourists, the only thing we had going for us is that OUR feelings towards the action/policy of our country mirrored their feelings about it. They realize we are at the mercy of idiocy, and sympathize greatly with us.

Nevertheless, I was deeply saddenend that such a beautiful country / people feel such contempt for us and our nation. They fear for us......and I believe they will slowly come to realize the vast majority of our great nation wants to one day again be revered as the great country we CAN be.

Best of luck to your daughter in her upcoming travels to Japan. As an Ambassador for our country, she need only represent us to the best of her ability, and I'm sure she'll be just fine.

Answer 4

I'm proud in that I have a lot of respect for the people that have politically shaped the vision of a democracy. And I am tremendously proud of the people that have contributed -by their labor, will, vision and preseverance - and shaped the country.

By that, I mean that America is an idea - It came true for example, when African slaves imported in brutality not only literally and economically built a nation -from the south to wall street -- and then ended up testing and actually making the promises of a democracy true in a civil rights movement shortly thereafter. America's legacy is found in the community, the populus - not the leadership of the day.

I'm proud of the legacy of my own granmother, mother and those that came before them. Such hardworking people, that they make me look exceptionally lazy.

And America has a lot of faces. Not only is America's legacy this inspring one mentioned above, it's the legacy of a lot of other people - everyone from single mom's of all races, shapes and locals. it's hardworking dads. it's also left behind and exceptionally bright kids, improverished communities and neglect.

I'm proud of us- yes. Can we as a populus do better? yes.

I'm disappointed in the actions of the present leadership. I think we can recover, but only with significant and concerted effort.

Answer 5

As always, I'm proud of America and what we've done for the world.
We feed the hungry,treat the sick and respond to the oppressors around the world.
Be it Europe 1940's,Bosnia 90's or Afghanistan/Iraq today we are the leader in freedom around the world.
Yes, we make mistakes and from time to time step in it,but this country is awesome and if you don't believe it look at the number of people trying to get here.

Note they are not slipping into Iran or North Korea !

MHO.

Answer 6

I always was and will be forever proud to be an American. I'm just not proud of the Americans who want to run away everytime the going gets a little tough.

Answer 7

Being an American is great because the United States is responsible for establishing peace in this world by trying to eliminate terrorism which is the most serious menace to humankind.

Answer 8

I am grateful to be an American.
We are the most philanthropic nation on the plant. The people are good-----------some terrible greedy people have given us a bad image to the world------- (many of our politicians are or were lawyers and greedy career politicians)-------so most of the planet really has no idea what the heart and soul of this great nation is really all about.
Think about it-----what do we really know about other countries and customs other than what we see on television-------or the movies-------or the internet?

Answer 9

I'm very proud to be an American. I'm not so proud of the stereotypes of us seen around the world and I'm most definitely not proud of our President or the War in Iraq but when I hear the national anthem or see the flag, I cannot help but silently thank troops who have and are giving their lives for our safety or an illegal war they had no choice to fight in.

Answer 10

Yes, I believe the rest of the world is extremely jealous of America.And a lot of them would like to see bad things happen to us.Always be aware in every country you go to. Good Luck