Are you as proud to be an American as you were 4 years ago?

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
"I'm rather embarrassed to be American."

Leave.

Maybe you (plural) should leave. Then the rest of us would stop being embarressed.

[Caligastia]

I don't believe in collective guilt, so I don't see why anyone should be ashamed of being an American. Those who say they are ashamed or embarrassed must believe that in some way they could have influenced things for the better, but didn't.

[Elok]

We've managed to survive six years now with an "Of Mice and Men" style man-child running the country. And the country is not yet up in flames, nor has it sunk into the ocean. That takes talent. The hardworking Americans keeping this country afloat in spite of President Pyle are enough to make me proud to be an American. Let's see the French go half a decade facing terrorists under the leadership of a poorly-trained chimp...and an army of bickering tools for a legislature to boot.

[Darius871]

Ted Striker

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Darius871
Ted Striker

Pity he went crazy.

[Lorizael]

I am more proud, but this answer requires a bit of explanation. Four years ago I didn't really care all that much about America, and even felt resentment towards the concept of nationalism.

But now that our country is slipping into... not tyranny or fascism, but something altogether unpleasant nonetheless, I've taken the opportunity to do a fair amount of research into what the founding fathers wanted this country to be.

And I have to say, I am quite proud of their achievements, quite proud of their creation. And I am quite proud of the concept of America, and of what it means to be an American, even if what we have now falls so short of that ideal.

When I first got to this board, for example, I would never mention my nationality. I purposefully put up the UN flag so that others would not know. I still have that flag up, but that's because I like the fantasy of world domination; I am much more open about my American nationality now.

I wish everyone in America would take the time to really see what the ideal for this country is supposed to be. I think that if that ideal were executed properly, this country would not only be the most prosperous, the most advanced, the most dominant, but also the most moral and noble and good.

[OzzyKP]

I'm still proud to be an American.

But less so.

[Verto]

I believe that American values regarding democracy, freedom, liberty, etc have eroded significantly. America does not stand on a higher moral ground; it is not a beacon of democracy or a free society.

People slap a bumper sticker on their car and call themselves a patriot, supporting a government that contradicts the principles on which it was founded. They tell us to support our troops, to respect them, while voting for a government that denies them any true, tangible support; that refuses to hold the military and its leadership to a higher moral standard; that has allowed itself to adopt the same tactics used by the enemy. We fight those who hate our way of life, by compromising our way of life.

[Sava]

I'm extremely proud of who I am, the way I conduct myself, and the type of person I am.

However, I don't base my self-image upon any sort of jingoistic sentiments.

I'm much more proud of myself than I was 4 years ago. But it has little to do with what is going on in the world. But as it pertains to my identity as an American, I am still very proud because I believe in the ideals of America and even though many people seem to have swayed from these ideals, I still believe America (the ideal) is a good thing.

I am proud to be an American, but I am not proud of many policies of my government, the current administration, nor am I proud of the actions and behavior of many Americans.

But it's no reason to abandon hope. It's the responsibility of good, rational thinking people to help correct things when they get all ****ed up. In American politics, things swing back and forth like a pendulum. After periods of poor leadership and awful policymaking, someone usually steps up and helps put us back on track.

Hey, if Bush and the Republican dominated Congress has been one of the worst combos, it can only get better after this.

So I say I am more proud because in times of great strife when the government doesn't represent the ideals America is supposed to stand for and starts to ignore the fundamental principles in the Constitution, my pride is only strengthened because I know that I believe in such values. The people currently running things... the people responsible for the policies we have right now and the people who support them, they don't represent American values. They are just like the terrorists that attacked us on 9-11. They have hijacked the idea of what it means to be an American for their own purposes, and I am not going to allow them to mess up my pride in America.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Straybow
While I'm more ashamed of the whiner/ wing-nut/ terrorism-deniers, I feel as proud about how things are being handled and who is in charge, which is what really matters.

And the horse you rode in on.

Yeah, five years later, the Taleban is still an effective fighting force and the Afghan "government" barely functions outside of Kabul. Hell, it barely functions inside Kabul. Three years later, the Iraqi "insurgency" is as strong, decentralized and active as ever, over 18 months after being "desperate" and "on its last legs" Those "no more than 5,000 insurgents" must be cats, since they seem to have at least nine lives each.

Meanwhile, instead of the "beacon of democracy" Iraq is a dysfunctional ****hole that can't even manage to get Saddam to stretch a rope, the Iranians virtually laugh at us, and the real wing-nut just tested a nuke. Good idea, that "axis of evil" speech - ol Dubya shore showed them and got their ass in line.

Whether or not invading Afghanistan and Iraq were the right things to do (true in the first case, an unnecessary diversion of resources in the second), they are grossly, ineptly mismanaged boondoggles which have wasted a huge amount of our geopolitical resources, and a lot of good young men and women, due to the enormous competence and deep military experience of our fearless leaders.

I mean, it would be nice if the weasels would put a cork in it and treat the guys who put their lives on the line every day in Iraq with more respect. I suppose that is asking too much.

You mean the weasels like Dick "I had other priorities than military service" Cheney, George "I helped my country in Vietnam by working on the campaign of one of my dad's buddies TDY from the guard."

It would be even nicer if the knee-jerk goose-steppers would demand accountability and competence in execution from our political leadership, so those who put their lives on the line (and lose them at a rate of two a day), don't do so in an inconclusive mission which accomplishes no significant strategic goals. The people who support Bush at this point would have supported Haig in 1914, and kept supporting him years later.

[Sava]

[Caligastia]

[Vince278]

God Bless America (also Britney and Ted Striker )! :wavingflag:

[Drake Tungsten]

I am less proud of Britney than I was four years ago.

[Vince278]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
I am less proud of Britney than I was four years ago.

You got me there.
At least Ted Striker ( ) improved.