2018 July 4 : Proud to Be an American - Why Shouldn't I Be?!

I have a feeling it would help if both 'sides' didn't feel as though the other 'side' is making our nation not be what we want it to be.

It's like I'm hearing the same thing from everyone: I'd be a lot prouder of my country if only 'they' would say, do, be what I want them to!

Most of us, I think, are nice law-abiding citizens who would never harm another unless in defense of self, family, home, business ... yet we're letting the yiping and griping of a few (and yes, the violence of an even smaller few) make us look sideways at each other all the time.

Sure there are differences, and some of them are major - but even so we, especially on this day of all days, are Americans. Each and all, whether we happen to agree with each other or not, whether we approve of anybody else's choices or not ... those have been, are, and will always be ... BUT above and beyond them, through them, under them, over them, around them one thing STILL binds us together.

This is OUR NATION.

For too long we've felt as though we were supposed to be apologizing for that. Why should we EVER not be proud of our nation, of our oh so diverse culture, of our selves?

If we define ourselves, our nation, by who happens to be in Washington at the moment, we're missing the entire message this nation was founded to offer to the world.

We the People OWN our nation.

WE do.

ALL of us.

Equally.

ONE Nation Indivisible (and for a hefty hunk of us, yes Under God belongs in there too but you don't have to agree with us on that, it's OK - the same Constitution still protects all of us).

If we were all the same my God what a boring thing it would be.

I don't suppose anyone has realized that from the get-go there have been 'opposing sides', that this nation was designed by people who were on 'opposing sides' and that they designed it to force both of those 'opposing sides' (or more than both at times but we'll go with two for now) to be as smart, as creative, as ambitious, as determined, as strong as possible ... which just happens to keep the whole kit and caboodle balanced and in accord with the design.

Not being proud to be an American because of what someone else thinks or says or does makes NO sense.

Differences matter and they need to be addressed; they also help to build a strong balanced nation once they're hammered out with nobody 'losing' and nobody 'winning' everything.

You think everyone was in agreement back in 1776?

Think again.

It took some doing, if the Federalist Papers and other historical stuff are any indication, but in the end a powerful nation was forged, partly BECAUSE of those disagreements.

And that nation BELONGS TO ALL OF WE THE PEOPLE.

In case you missed it a minute ago:

Equally.

ONE nation INDIVISIBLE.

E Pluribus Unum ring any bells with anybody?

On this day of all days, it behooves us to think about that for a second or two.

The extremists on both sides are never going to see eye to eye.

So what?

The rest of us sure can.

So on this day, if on no other, BE Proud To Be An AMERICAN.

And deny NO other American citizen that same right, that same privilege, that same gift from our early folk.