Proud American
A couple of weeks ago Michelle Obama made a statement, saying that for the first time in her life she was proud of America. She is in her 40's and now that her husband is running for President she is FINALLY proud of America?
This ate at me and ate at me until I started to soul search in an attempt to figure out when I became a proud American.
I remember being very young, seeing my uncle Bill come home from Korea. I felt very proud then. But was I just proud of uncle Bill or America?
Later on when we lived in Wendover and I would visit my dad at his work place and see the fighter pilots that would hang around the communications station in their flight suits and cool looking sunglasses, driving their F86 SaberJets, I was proud of them. I was proud of the United States Air Force. That would be the first time I was aware that I was proud of America.
My father was in the Navy. He fought in the Pacific during WWII. I saw his medals. I saw his mementos from the war. I was always proud of my father. He was a great and proud American.
Just being around him made me proud to me an American.
I joined the Air Force right out of high school. I was proud to do it. My chest swelled up when I took the oath to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States of America.
America is a great and wonderful nation. Some times Americans leave me wondering. I was saddened to see how the American military was treated when they came home from Viet Nam. All of us in uniform at the time stood ready to protect the very same people who would throw eggs and rotten tomato's at us. They would call us baby killers. Rapists. Murderers. But we were ready to stand and defend them and their right to say these things. Through it all I was still proud of America!
America is magnificent in it's achievements. We went to the moon. We walked on the moon. We lead the world in humanitarian achievements. We have smart, well educated doctors all over the world helping cure people of sickness. We airlift (US Military) millions of tons of food, clothing, medicine and other essentials all over the world. Every day.
I wept the day that Challenger exploded. I get tears in my eyes every time I hear Taps. And a military marching band makes my chest swell.
Am a proud of America or am I just proud of her heroes. Her achievers? The answer is I am proud of America, with her heroes and warts. I am proud of her Achievements and proud of her failures because they show that we tried our best. Even in her failures her heart was big.
So I guess I have always been proud of America. I am proud to announce THAT I AM PROUD THAT I AM AN AMERICAN.
This ate at me and ate at me until I started to soul search in an attempt to figure out when I became a proud American.
I remember being very young, seeing my uncle Bill come home from Korea. I felt very proud then. But was I just proud of uncle Bill or America?
Later on when we lived in Wendover and I would visit my dad at his work place and see the fighter pilots that would hang around the communications station in their flight suits and cool looking sunglasses, driving their F86 SaberJets, I was proud of them. I was proud of the United States Air Force. That would be the first time I was aware that I was proud of America.
My father was in the Navy. He fought in the Pacific during WWII. I saw his medals. I saw his mementos from the war. I was always proud of my father. He was a great and proud American.
Just being around him made me proud to me an American.
I joined the Air Force right out of high school. I was proud to do it. My chest swelled up when I took the oath to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States of America.
America is a great and wonderful nation. Some times Americans leave me wondering. I was saddened to see how the American military was treated when they came home from Viet Nam. All of us in uniform at the time stood ready to protect the very same people who would throw eggs and rotten tomato's at us. They would call us baby killers. Rapists. Murderers. But we were ready to stand and defend them and their right to say these things. Through it all I was still proud of America!
America is magnificent in it's achievements. We went to the moon. We walked on the moon. We lead the world in humanitarian achievements. We have smart, well educated doctors all over the world helping cure people of sickness. We airlift (US Military) millions of tons of food, clothing, medicine and other essentials all over the world. Every day.
I wept the day that Challenger exploded. I get tears in my eyes every time I hear Taps. And a military marching band makes my chest swell.
Am a proud of America or am I just proud of her heroes. Her achievers? The answer is I am proud of America, with her heroes and warts. I am proud of her Achievements and proud of her failures because they show that we tried our best. Even in her failures her heart was big.
So I guess I have always been proud of America. I am proud to announce THAT I AM PROUD THAT I AM AN AMERICAN.
posted by Rob | 9:47 PM
5 Comments:
Amen.
Wow, Dad! This is the kind of post that gets the wheels turning. In the daily grind of living, it's easy to see the "warts" - as you called them - of America. The bad parents, the bad drivers, the bad criminals, the bad politicians - the news can get to be pretty depressing at times. The things that you bring up in your post make me remember how great our country is- the heroes, the patriotism, the achievements and excellence. It really is something to be proud of.
Thank You!!! I am tired of all the negative being said about our wonderful country. I am very proud of America and proud to be an American. It has really hit close to home for me recently - my son is leaving on April 5 to head to Iraq to serve his country that he is proud to serve. I guess I instilled some good qualities in him. Thanks again for your positive post!
Grammie...Tell your son that we, all the veteranss who have served, are proud of him.
Thank you! He will be home for a few days next week before heading out, so I will be sure and tell him.
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