General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCould you honestly say right now you're proud to be an American?
For me ..a big fat NOOOOO!
Coventina
(29,180 posts)mr715
(2,745 posts)Enter stage left
(4,273 posts)vapor2
(3,789 posts)If I could go overseas I would. I am sick of the lies, the corruption, the grifting, a maniac with the nuclear codes
The Madcap
(1,758 posts)Haven't been since Reagan. The lack of culture and the crass behavior here is appalling. And that's even before considering politics.
WhiskeyGrinder
(26,371 posts)Truly, neither proud nor ashamed. Its an arbitrary designation for someone born here.
Easterncedar
(5,539 posts)Bread and Circuses
(1,583 posts)harumph
(3,115 posts)Proud? I was born an American, and had nothing to do with it. I suppose I'm proud of my kids when they do something that's difficult and do it well or at least make a good attempt at it. The merit of countries should be judged on whether they take care of their most vulnerable citizens. Even if we had the kind of country that actually gave a shit about woman, people of color, indigenous peoples, the poor, etc., I wouldn't be proud per se, but rather satisfied or contented that we have successfully met the basic moral bar required to be civilized. But we collectively haven't done any of that. We are in fact, taken as a whole, not that impressive and peculiarly violent to boot. We are among the worst of unreliable narrators. Most of our so-called "greatness" leading up to this point in history is due to our enormous material wealth stemming from the size and diversity of America (water, land, minerals) and the fact we easily dispensed with the indigenous peoples with germs and exploited the shit out of the land by means of technology we originally imported from Europe. So much arable land. Lots of oil. Lots of coal. So much profit to be made. Of course, no country or people is angelic, but we are far from it. If we managed to amend the constitution to be more equitable, to mandate only public funding of political campaigns (i.e., goodbye Citizens United), ditch the electoral college, pass the ERA, etc., mandate managed investment trusts for representatives and senators (i.e., no more insider tips), and actually expand the SCOTUS and term limit the justices, then I might be able to muster some pride. I suspect we won't change our ways until we get our collective heads smacked by a 2 x 4 good and hard.
Initech
(107,461 posts)I have never felt more embarrassed to be an American since the fucking asshole wormed his way back to the office he should never be in charge of. And now he's worse than ever. Fuck Donald Trump to fucking hell.
DET
(2,372 posts)Ive never thought of being proud to be American. I didnt vote for this horrible administration and I dont take responsibility for it. Same with previous Republican administrations, which were pretty much universally abhorrent. I used to view Trump as a terrible aberration, but I had no idea how corrupt and evil his supporters and enablers (billionaires, Congress, cabinet, Supreme Court, Heritage Foundation, tech bros, media, MAGATs, assorted sycophants and loons) could be until he cheated his way to reelection. Were in a massive fight for survival against these evil forces that are literally trying to kill us and thats all that matters at this point.
Intractable
(1,657 posts)Pride is the first of the seven deadly sins.
struggle4progress
(125,385 posts)... I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slaverys scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.
I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet todayO, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.
Yet Im the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned
Thats made America the land it has become.
O, Im the man who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home
For Im the one who left dark Irelands shore,
And Polands plain, and Englands grassy lea,
And torn from Black Africas strand I came
To build a homeland of the free. ...
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=post&post&forum=1002&pid=20918965
H2O Man
(78,649 posts)And a proponent of gazing at the stars on clear, dark nights. At this point in time, I still inhabit the body that is the result of millions of years of evolution, admittedly looking to be circa 200 +/- years old from extreme wear and tear over the decades. And my favorite television series is True Detective:Season One.
Note: on this night, I have consumed some strong hashish, in order to numb the horror of today.
IzzaNuDay
(1,241 posts)not in the situation Im currently in!
carpetbagger
(5,415 posts)It's easy for me though, I'm closing the book on my American life in 5 months when I move to Canada.
The Third Doctor
(449 posts)This country elected a unqualified convicted felon. Rather than a qualified former law enforcement member. Why? Racism, misogyny and ignorance of basic civics. Thise that chose not to vote with that much at stake are to blame too.
Emile
(40,659 posts)all over the world.