Are you proud to be American?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Proud? No. I didn't become American through any merits of my own. Grateful for the opportunities I've had? Yes.

Yes, this is the way I feel as well. I am American because I happened to be born here. Not sure why I'd be "proud" of that. It sure beats some other places though, so in that sense I feel lucky to be here.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Watching Katie Ledecky (sp) singing the national anthem and tearing up makes me happy to see someone why is proud to be American. From reading things on this site I know there are many here who hate America and everything it stands for.

Could you give examples of things you have read that lead you to believe that there are many here who hate America and everything it stands for?

Because I just read criticism -- which is our Free Speech right. Including a lot of criticism of Obama.

There are many people abroad who hate America. To give you just one example, hundreds of millions, for example, believe that 9/11 was organized by our own government. It makes me sick to my stomach.

Just the other day, I was reading a sports section of a foreign newspaper online, and the newspaper claimed that American Olympic team is not tested against doping. There were dozens of angry comments.

Seeing the trash of the world engulfed in their conspiracies makes me , btw, even prouder to be an American. But it is a fact that we live in a world where many, many hate us.

I'm the same way. After being told those ridiculous conspiracy theories (yes, the 9/11 one, too) and experiencing hatred for America abroad, I feel more protective of America and cherish my American identity even more.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a dual citizen with Canada and the US, I've lived in each country for 15 years. Currently live in the US but would never call myself American. Grateful for all the opportunities the US has given me, but I'm wayyy more proud to be Canadian.

Our Founders knew what they were doing when they required the President to be born here.

The Founders made no such requirement and no such requirement exists. Two well-known examples of presidential candidates who were born outside the US include John McCain -- born in Panama -- and George Romney (Mitt's dad) - born in Mexico. The "natural born citizen" requirement applies to those born outside the US to US citizen parents.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a dual citizen with Canada and the US, I've lived in each country for 15 years. Currently live in the US but would never call myself American. Grateful for all the opportunities the US has given me, but I'm wayyy more proud to be Canadian.

Our Founders knew what they were doing when they required the President to be born here.

The Founders made no such requirement and no such requirement exists. Two well-known examples of presidential candidates who were born outside the US include John McCain -- born in Panama -- and George Romney (Mitt's dad) - born in Mexico. The "natural born citizen" requirement applies to those born outside the US to US citizen parents.

Please elaborate because I'm confused. I also thought the President had to be born on US soil. Why would the requirements be more stringent for children of US citizens than for others? What I read from your statement is that you have to be born on US soil if your parents are US citizens but that you don't have to if they're not, which doesn't make any sense.

[Anonymous]

If you are born in the US, you are a US citizen.

If one of your parents is a US citizen, you are a US citizen regardless of where you are born. My husband was born overseas but his mother was a US citizen (and met residency requirements) and so he was also a US citizen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please elaborate because I'm confused. I also thought the President had to be born on US soil. Why would the requirements be more stringent for children of US citizens than for others? What I read from your statement is that you have to be born on US soil if your parents are US citizens but that you don't have to if they're not, which doesn't make any sense.

I don't think there has ever been a definitive decision by SCOTUS on the meaning of native-born. Born on US soil is the standard understanding, I think, with a general expectation that someone born to US parents overseas probably being acceptable, especially if the parents were serving the country, and even more so if, like McCain, it was in US controlled territory. I don't recall much questioning being done about George Romney, but I assume someone would have raised it if he had gotten closer to the nomination.

Since natus is the Latin word for born, I would assume "natural born" meant citizen by birth rather than naturalization, but as I said, I am not aware of any definitive ruling. Please correct me if I have misstated anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Proud? No. I didn't become American through any merits of my own. Grateful for the opportunities I've had? Yes.

+1

[Anonymous]

I'm proud to be an American.

I'm not proud of the American government.

Those who cloak themselves in self-absorbed labelling as "patriots" (e.g., Palin & her ilk) are often the ones who least represent the ideals behind the country to begin with.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I'm a dual citizen with Canada and the US, I've lived in each country for 15 years. Currently live in the US but would never call myself American. Grateful for all the opportunities the US has given me, but I'm wayyy more proud to be Canadian.

This is why U.S. should not permit dual citizenship.

[b]

Haha!! Is that why? Well then I guess tou won't like this: I was actually born in the US, moved to Canada when I was 2 years old. My parents and sisters are all Canadian, I'm the only one with dual citizenship.

I don't care how it happened. You can't hold an allegiance to more than one country. An adult should choose.

[b]

Well I guess it's too bad you don't make the rules 'eh?

Interesting Canadian poster. People from stable countries seem to like the dual citizenship status. Whereas people from less stable countries, or for other reasons, seem to like giving up their former country citizenship.

The duals I've known from Mexico are like the Canadian poster--love the opportunities but feel more allegiance to their other country.

I am a dual citizen as well and I am appalled by that attitude. A citizenship is more than a convenience. For me, the US comes first and I am very proud to be an American.

Canadian poster here- So let me get this straight. It's okay to be loyal to one country over the other, as long as its the USA? Otherwise it's appalling? Ok... This is part of the reason why I don't identify as an American. I feel like the US thinks they are the centre of the universe, the only country that matters.

[Anonymous]

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Interesting Canadian poster. People from stable countries seem to like the dual citizenship status. Whereas people from less stable countries, or for other reasons, seem to like giving up their former country citizenship.

Eh, NP here. You must not meet too many people with dual citizenship. I know lots of people from African countries, many from Nigeria with dual citizenship who are proud to be Nigerians, first. Having a USA passport, not American passport LOL, provides them vast opportunities. They send their kids back to the home country for education so as not to become too Americanized, etc. They count the days they can retire and move back in comparative luxury. So, I think you know not what you write PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I just had a DD and I tell her she's lucky to have been born in this country.

I wish my kid had been born in Switzerland. Guess we can't have everything in life. But to answer the OP, yes most times I am proud to be an American. However there are times when I am not. Perfect example was when I was visiting in Europe at the time of the USA invasion of Iraq, when people asked me a question about the invasion, I declared I was from Toronto.

[Anonymous]

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There are many people abroad who hate America. To give you just one example, hundreds of millions, for example, believe that 9/11 was organized by our own government. It makes me sick to my stomach.

Just the other day, I was reading a sports section of a foreign newspaper online, and the newspaper claimed that American Olympic team is not tested against doping. There were dozens of angry comments.

Seeing the trash of the world engulfed in their conspiracies makes me , btw, even prouder to be an American. But it is a fact that we live in a world where many, many hate us.

Have you asked yourself why. And please don't say because they hate our freedom, I can name between forty or fifty other countries with as many, if not more, freedoms than ours.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I'm a dual citizen with Canada and the US, I've lived in each country for 15 years. Currently live in the US but would never call myself American. Grateful for all the opportunities the US has given me, but I'm wayyy more proud to be Canadian.

This is why U.S. should not permit dual citizenship.

[b]

Haha!! Is that why? Well then I guess tou won't like this: I was actually born in the US, moved to Canada when I was 2 years old. My parents and sisters are all Canadian, I'm the only one with dual citizenship.

I don't care how it happened. You can't hold an allegiance to more than one country. An adult should choose.

[b]

Well I guess it's too bad you don't make the rules 'eh?

In fact, our wonderful country made those rules. So happy you're getting to reap the benefits of living in the US and having dual citizenship! Congratulations!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Watching Katie Ledecky (sp) singing the national anthem and tearing up makes me happy to see someone why is proud to be American. From reading things on this site I know there are many here who hate America and everything it stands for.

Yeah, I mean, the people against gay marriage and all the conservatives who clearly hate America and it's bedrock principles really drive me nuts.

[Anonymous]

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There are many people abroad who hate America. To give you just one example, hundreds of millions, for example, believe that 9/11 was organized by our own government. It makes me sick to my stomach.

Just the other day, I was reading a sports section of a foreign newspaper online, and the newspaper claimed that American Olympic team is not tested against doping. There were dozens of angry comments.

Seeing the trash of the world engulfed in their conspiracies makes me , btw, even prouder to be an American. But it is a fact that we live in a world where many, many hate us.

Have you asked yourself why. And please don't say because they hate our freedom, I can name between forty or fifty other countries with as many, if not more, freedoms than ours.

[b]

Canadian here- My parents were Canadian diplomats so we travelled all the time growing up and with my current job I travel often as well. Almost everywhere you go, there is a different reaction when you tell people you are American. I'm sure there are lots of stories of people with positive reactions, but we all know this is the truth. During 9/11 i was living in Europe and there was a lot of sympathy and love pouring in towards the US, everyone united. After the US started bombing people, you could feel the hostility right away, everywhere you went. When people would hear that I was foreign they would start in talking about the war, and I would just say I was Canadian and the discussion would stop. The only countries where people didn't seem to care were Italy, Bosnia, and Croatia. This is just my experience but I spent years traveling through Europe. I think this is honestly why I identify more as a Canadian, not because I don't like the US but because my politics and values are Canadian. I think Americans Dobt travel enough and don't travel well, it is really annoying to hear people in a foreign country complain that the menu isn't in english- why would it be?! I think if Anericans travelled more they would see how the world views them and maybe try to change things. They would also be exposed to different languages and cultures and maybe be more accepting and tolerant. That's just my opinion. I love living in the US and I'm grateful because it has given me so many opportunities.