How proud are you to be an American?

[Anonymous]

I really love America and I am glad I was born here.

I wish we could make up our minds to do better, be better. But different people define "better" differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a good life but currently, I'm mortally embarrassed to be American because of our political situation. We're smarter than this.

Are we?

Because right now it’s looking like Trump is going to win the GOP primary.

Oh please. You all want him to win. The entire media is in simultaneous salivating/panic mode over it. Salivating that he will clench the nomination so they can have ratings bonanza talking about him nonstop again for the next six months. And panic that they might cause him to win again because they have learned absolutely nothing from ignoring voters last time.

NP. Do you believe you're addressing the media here?

I’m addressing the fact that you don’t have an original “outrage” about Trump that wasn’t put there by the industry (entertainment and news media) that created, elevated, sustained, then vilified, resurrected, and continues to promote him.
That you don’t know this is unfortunate, but still true.

This is a totally different comment than "[y]ou all want him to win" and suggests that you're just looking to repeat rehearsed arguments rather than actually engage with what people are saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a good life but currently, I'm mortally embarrassed to be American because of our political situation. We're smarter than this.

Are we?

Because right now it’s looking like Trump is going to win the GOP primary.

Oh please. You all want him to win. The entire media is in simultaneous salivating/panic mode over it. Salivating that he will clench the nomination so they can have ratings bonanza talking about him nonstop again for the next six months. And panic that they might cause him to win again because they have learned absolutely nothing from ignoring voters last time.

^ Here is an example of Americans not being “smarter than this”. So embarrassing.

Oh hey that’s a great strategy. Insult and talk down to those who aren’t in lockstep with your political ideaology. That always works out well.

We know from experience that it’s worthless to reason with irrational people.

The fact that Trump is winning primaries shows us that we are not “smarter than this”. We have millions of proudly ignorant people in this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very proud to be an American. Would rather be an American than anything else. Without a doubt the rest of the world sucks.

Do we have issues and problems? Sure. But this is the best place with the most freedom. Is that unequal? Of course. But we work on that as we have.

We lead the world not by force although we could. We lead based on our ideals and what we aim for ever if we do not get it.

We are the only country that matters in the world. The only essential country.

We don’t get it right all the time but that is also part of what makes me proud to be an American.

The United States of America ranks 17 on the Human Freedom Index. https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2023-12/human-freedom-index-2023-full-revised.pdf

The country with the most freedom is Switzerland, followed by New Zealand and then Denmark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m extremely proud of this country.

While it’s not perfect, that’s a reflection of its citizens. As a free people we have the precious privilege to try to change it.

If you don’t like it, YOU can:
- vote
- organize or join a protest
- petition your representatives
communicate your ideas to the public - (write an editorial, speak at a public forum, start a youtube channel, post on DCUM or other social media, put up yard signs, etc.)
- work for a campaign
- donate to a campaign
- run for office yourself

Most people (including myself) would rather complain about the problems than commit ourselves to changing them. Those who spend their lives crusading for a cause may have room to complain, but the rest of us need yo recognize that WE are the country and if we don’t like it, the problem is with us.

Generations before us have struggled and sacrificed to obtain and preserve this freedom. Hundreds of thousands of men and women have died for that freedom, giving, as Lincoln put it, “the last full measure of devotion”.

I think it takes a lot of gall to take that freedom which came at such a high cost and scorn the country they sacrificed so much for and you so little. However, they sacrificed so that you could have that freedom. If you want to sit comfortably ensconced in your living room typing on DCUM (as I am) about how you’re ashamed of the country, you are absolutely free to do so. But you might spare a thought for those who earned you that right. You might even consider whether your shame and outrage is sufficient to actually motivate you to do something other than just complain about the country that gives you that freedom.

This sums up how I feel very well. Thank you for posting this.

+1
Might need to print and give to my kids since they are unlikely to get this lesson in civics this year

[Anonymous]

A country is not a being that we need to like or dislike or be proud of. It's an idea that the people who live there buy into. For 200 years Americans had a common goal and the experiment worked. It afforded its citizens a comfortable place to live and fulfill their dreams (for the most part). You can be proud of the hard work you've put in to make your lives comfortable. You can buy into the model of the American government and the philosophy of capitalism. But to be "proud" of something you haven't accomplished is so strange.

[Anonymous]

It is an accident of birth where we are born, so we should not brag or be boastful about it OP. I am happy I am here vs. the Middle East, for example.

[Anonymous]

I do know that the U.S. is the only place on the planet whose people run around proclaiming their country the "best" in the world. That just isn't a thing in other countries.

I was in Sweden on their national day a few years ago. I barely saw one Swedish flag. They don't really know how to celebrate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a good life but currently, I'm mortally embarrassed to be American because of our political situation. We're smarter than this.

Are we?

Because right now it’s looking like Trump is going to win the GOP primary.

Oh please. You all want him to win. The entire media is in simultaneous salivating/panic mode over it. Salivating that he will clench the nomination so they can have ratings bonanza talking about him nonstop again for the next six months. And panic that they might cause him to win again because they have learned absolutely nothing from ignoring voters last time.

^ Here is an example of Americans not being “smarter than this”. So embarrassing.

Oh hey that’s a great strategy. Insult and talk down to those who aren’t in lockstep with your political ideaology. That always works out well.

We know from experience that it’s worthless to reason with irrational people.

The fact that Trump is winning primaries shows us that we are not “smarter than this”. We have millions of proudly ignorant people in this country.

Nope. Not ignorant people. Lots of folks who are fed up with the left and making a statement (that the left refuses to listen to) - we’d rather vote for Trump than any of the garbage you’re offering up. And honestly, I get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a good life but currently, I'm mortally embarrassed to be American because of our political situation. We're smarter than this.

Are we?

Because right now it’s looking like Trump is going to win the GOP primary.

Oh please. You all want him to win. The entire media is in simultaneous salivating/panic mode over it. Salivating that he will clench the nomination so they can have ratings bonanza talking about him nonstop again for the next six months. And panic that they might cause him to win again because they have learned absolutely nothing from ignoring voters last time.

^ Here is an example of Americans not being “smarter than this”. So embarrassing.

Oh hey that’s a great strategy. Insult and talk down to those who aren’t in lockstep with your political ideaology. That always works out well.

We know from experience that it’s worthless to reason with irrational people.

The fact that Trump is winning primaries shows us that we are not “smarter than this”. We have millions of proudly ignorant people in this country.

Nope. Not ignorant people. Lots of folks who are fed up with the left and making a statement (that the left refuses to listen to) - we’d rather vote for Trump than any of the garbage you’re offering up. And honestly, I get it.

Yeah clean air, equal pay, healthcare for all, access to safe abortion is pure evil, I tell ya!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do know that the U.S. is the only place on the planet whose people run around proclaiming their country the "best" in the world. That just isn't a thing in other countries.

I was in Sweden on their national day a few years ago. I barely saw one Swedish flag. They don't really know how to celebrate it.

What a strange metric.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am embarrassed by Hamas supporting/anti-Israel Americans. They don’t understand that Israel shares American values. They think the Palestinians are oppressed and Jews are oppressors. Laughable ignorance.

Both things can be true at the same time.

Israel and America DO share values. And both Israel and America have disgusting histories of oppressing people and occupying their land.

This. We both have genocidal histories of killing natives and stealing land. But so does much of Western Europe. I get why many people hate us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m extremely proud of this country.

While it’s not perfect, that’s a reflection of its citizens. As a free people we have the precious privilege to try to change it.

If you don’t like it, YOU can:
- vote
- organize or join a protest
- petition your representatives
communicate your ideas to the public - (write an editorial, speak at a public forum, start a youtube channel, post on DCUM or other social media, put up yard signs, etc.)
- work for a campaign
- donate to a campaign
- run for office yourself

Most people (including myself) would rather complain about the problems than commit ourselves to changing them. Those who spend their lives crusading for a cause may have room to complain, but the rest of us need yo recognize that WE are the country and if we don’t like it, the problem is with us.

Generations before us have struggled and sacrificed to obtain and preserve this freedom. Hundreds of thousands of men and women have died for that freedom, giving, as Lincoln put it, “the last full measure of devotion”.

I think it takes a lot of gall to take that freedom which came at such a high cost and scorn the country they sacrificed so much for and you so little. However, they sacrificed so that you could have that freedom. If you want to sit comfortably ensconced in your living room typing on DCUM (as I am) about how you’re ashamed of the country, you are absolutely free to do so. But you might spare a thought for those who earned you that right. You might even consider whether your shame and outrage is sufficient to actually motivate you to do something other than just complain about the country that gives you that freedom.

This sums up how I feel very well. Thank you for posting this.

+1
Might need to print and give to my kids since they are unlikely to get this lesson in civics this year

Take them to Arlington National Cemetery, a battlefield, Valley Forge, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m extremely proud of this country.

While it’s not perfect, that’s a reflection of its citizens. As a free people we have the precious privilege to try to change it.

If you don’t like it, YOU can:
- vote
- organize or join a protest
- petition your representatives
communicate your ideas to the public - (write an editorial, speak at a public forum, start a youtube channel, post on DCUM or other social media, put up yard signs, etc.)
- work for a campaign
- donate to a campaign
- run for office yourself

Most people (including myself) would rather complain about the problems than commit ourselves to changing them. Those who spend their lives crusading for a cause may have room to complain, but the rest of us need yo recognize that WE are the country and if we don’t like it, the problem is with us.

Generations before us have struggled and sacrificed to obtain and preserve this freedom. Hundreds of thousands of men and women have died for that freedom, giving, as Lincoln put it, “the last full measure of devotion”.

I think it takes a lot of gall to take that freedom which came at such a high cost and scorn the country they sacrificed so much for and you so little. However, they sacrificed so that you could have that freedom. If you want to sit comfortably ensconced in your living room typing on DCUM (as I am) about how you’re ashamed of the country, you are absolutely free to do so. But you might spare a thought for those who earned you that right. You might even consider whether your shame and outrage is sufficient to actually motivate you to do something other than just complain about the country that gives you that freedom.

The only fault with the US is that it wasn’t designed to handle so many amoral people.

We are embarrassed by the criminal politicians trying to tear down our country and the millions of idiots who vote for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a good life but currently, I'm mortally embarrassed to be American because of our political situation. We're smarter than this.

Are we?

Because right now it’s looking like Trump is going to win the GOP primary.

Oh please. You all want him to win. The entire media is in simultaneous salivating/panic mode over it. Salivating that he will clench the nomination so they can have ratings bonanza talking about him nonstop again for the next six months. And panic that they might cause him to win again because they have learned absolutely nothing from ignoring voters last time.

^ Here is an example of Americans not being “smarter than this”. So embarrassing.

Oh hey that’s a great strategy. Insult and talk down to those who aren’t in lockstep with your political ideaology. That always works out well.

We know from experience that it’s worthless to reason with irrational people.

The fact that Trump is winning primaries shows us that we are not “smarter than this”. We have millions of proudly ignorant people in this country.

Nope. Not ignorant people. Lots of folks who are fed up with the left and making a statement (that the left refuses to listen to) - we’d rather vote for Trump than any of the garbage you’re offering up. And honestly, I get it.

You’re proving my point.