This is not meant to be a political thread. However if the CO's see fit based on the comments to move it to the Political forum so be it.

As 2006 winds down and effort in Iraq continues, which many people believe drove the outcome of the mid-term elections, I am curious about not just how you feel, but more importantly what you think about being an American.

In the last few years Americans have faced many challenges, Katrina, the war on terror, the unrest in the middle east, our response to the 2004 Sumatran tsunami, earth quake recovery teams sent around the world, etc. As a nation we have continued to respond to the needs of most other peoples (with some notable exceptions including Darfur). But, by and large we as a country have taken on some "heavy lifting".

We have had scandals in Congress that include admitted bribery, sexual behavior, as well as a debate if it is normal for people to store $90K in their freezer (now that is what I call COLD CASH) and claim that they did nothing wrong?

After Gulf War 1 when Saddam Hussein ordered the lighting of over five hundred oil wells as his troop retreated from Kuwait, it was thought by many that those oil wells would burn for three to five years. In my mind that proved to me that he was an environmental terrorist. If it was not for American technology that had the fires out in less than six months it is hard to imagine what the impact on the global environment would have been. To my way of thinking, it proved that he was a "mad man".

I believe that the world is a better place without him. If not us, what other country would have done what we did?

Again, I do not mean this to be political. I am just curious about the bigger question at hand. Forget political party affiliation, your views on the war, etc. I guess the bottom line is how do you "feel" about being an American in 2006?

Part of the reason I am curious goes back to the adage that as a whole "United we stand, divided we fall". Where are we as a United Nation?

 

I'm just proud to still be here period.

Happy Holidays all!

 

Having lived in several countries over the past 20 years, I can say that I am proud to be an American. Dispite all of the scandals, unmonitored spending, and the fact that "others" don't like us, we are the greatest nation on earth. If the two "ashamed to be an American" individuals would speak up, I'd like to know where they would like to go so that they can feel "proud." No other country has given more, taken more abuse, and still prospered.

 

happy, proud, lucky and priviliged. If there was somewhere I'd rather be I'd go there.

For the ones who are ashamed, I'd add, life is too short to live in misery.. move, vote with your feet....
it could improve the moral in two country's.
And, right now, you're fortunate enough to live in a country that will let you leave.

Willinathen

 

woops,

i meant to say, it could improve the MORALE in two countries.

Willinathen

 

I again will open my comments with the statement that this has nothing to do with one

 

I will not expound on this comment as "the U.S., love it or leave it". Or if your "Heart is not in American, get your A*S out". Because, that is one of the greatest strengths that we enjoy as Americans is our First Amendment rights to express our "feelings". The Freedom of the Press, and personal thoughts is one of the cornerstones that this country is founded upon.

In the interest of an open dialog with respect to your First Amendment rights, perhaps, those that are ashamed to be American's in 2006 could share their thoughts with us? In the interest of civil behavior I hope that our CO's will not have to be involved.

I will remind you that this is not a political discussion, but a philosophical one.

 

I was not born here, and can truthfully say that if it weren't for the Americans I wouldn't be here. Americans helped free Holland during WWII. If it weren't for the Americans, my parents wouldn't have survied and I wouldn't have been born.

Therefore America is like my family and like many families we have our issues, troubles and faults, but they are our issues, troubles and faults and I can complain and critize my family, but let no one else outside my family do it, for I will defend my family.

My birth country still has a place in my heart, but America is the place I call home!

 

[QUOTE=Tomcattplus1,Dec 22 2006, 11:02 PM] I was not born here, and can truthfully say that if it weren't for the Americans I wouldn't be here.

 

I had to vote for none of the above because I am both proud to be an American and ashamed to be an American at the same time.

I am proud of what we, the American people, have accomplished in the relatively short time that we have been here. I am proud of the mix of people who live here, and I am proud that, for the most part, America opened up its arms to people from anywhere who came here for a better life. I am proud of the freedoms that we have, and of the opportunity that this country represents. I am proud that we are perhaps the most kind and generous country that has ever been. I am proud that in fact the streets really are paved with gold for those who have the skill and smarts to mine it. I am proud of the level of education at the college and graduate level that we've achieved and proud that it is largely available to everyone. I am proud to live in a land where we've come to see the mistakes that we've made and often try to rectify them. I am proud that we are often reaching to do better.

At the same time I am ashamed that we allow our leaders to lead us into a war that we never should have become involved in. I am ashamed at what we do in the name of democracy when really we are pursuing our special interests or agendas. I am ashamed that we follow and allow ourselves to be fooled into thinking that our leaders know better. I am ashamed of the people who we put into office. I am ashamed at the way we conduct ourselves in the international arena. I am ashamed that we reward ball players but can't scrape up enough money to support the arts and sciences. I am ashamed that our leaders play religion against science, rather than respecting both. I am ashamed at the level of education in our public schools. I am ashamed that the amount of opportunity available and freedom often depends on the color of your skin and the language that you speak. I am ashamed that many of us are so naive as to think that we are always right and the rest of the world is out of step when in fact it is often the other way around. I am ashamed that many of us let our triumphs mask our failings. I am ashamed that we often don't reach to do better.

So, I have to vote for none of the above. I am proud and ashamed at the same time.