Ashamed to be an American

[freetobegay]

I just got back from Sea World (Orlando) & at the opening of the park in the morning they played the Star Spangled Banner. I felt so ashamed that I actually could not face the flag or the people from Europe that were standing next to me.

I hate my Government for doing this to me I hate my Government for what they are doing to America. These are not American values! If they are I don't want to be an American anymore.

Sorry for the rant, this just really has me depressed & the spinning going on just never seems to end.

[malatesta1137]

1. brave words!

I know how you feel.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

3. I have echoed the same sentiment to my husband.

[wtmusic]

2. The RW is unAmerican

Don't let them own your country

[ElsewheresDaughter]

4. sorry to say this but you echoed my heart

[donco6]

5. I agree

Tonight is our school board meeting, and my heart gets heavier every time I have to croak out the Pledge of Allegiance. It would be even worse to be surrounded by people who think we're still great, and that everything is fine. At least I don't have to deal with that.

[msmcghee]

8. I enjoy the opportunity to say the pledge.

I simply insert the word "no" before God. I get to say my pledge - they get to say theirs. Everybody's happy. Well, at least I am.

O8)

[fujiyama]

6. Everyday

I feel worse about the state of our country. Being that I'm relatively young (23) I never would have imagined how bad things could get. I knew this administration would be bad when they took office, but what's happened since...is the stuff nightmares.

God help this nation. I say that as someone that doesn't particularly even believe in the existence of God.

[boobooday]

7. I felt the same way at a commencement ceremony on Sunday

Didn't feel like singing.

It's sad.



http://www.wgoeshome.com

[citizen snips]

9. Well I disagree.

Or else I am missing your point. :shrug:

[freetobegay]

11. The point is obvious

If you disagree, thats your right.

[citizen snips]

10. delete

[mike1963]

12. I absolutely understand what you're feeling, but it's really not necessary

No natural-born American has either the burden to be ashamed or the right to be "proud" for an accident of birth.

It isn't something you could have had any control of. But it's perfectly acceptable to be ashamed of our own 'leadership' (what a crock that is nowadays) and our own complicity or apathy for allowing it to become what it has.

I have many friends around the world (spent 30 years going to, last count, 52 countries, on business) and keep up with a lot of them. Nearly every one of them understands that Americans in general are no worse than anybody else and haven't any animosity to us, but they wonder how we allowed the government to become what it is now.

It's a damn hard question to answer.

[indepat]

13. And I used to get chills at Opryland joining in to sing '"I'm Proud

to be an American' for at least I know I'm free." Hopefully I will someday again be proud of what my government, its elected officials and those appointed to high office, are doing to assure this is once again the land of the free and home of brave, the land of equal opportunity and equal justice under the law, the land of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, a land of freedom of speech and association, an open government of, by, and for the people which promotes the general welfare doctrine rather than the promote the welfare of wealthy patrons doctrine. Hopefully this will again someday be a Republic wherein the separation of powers between and among the three branches of government and the separation of church and state are real. Please excuse the rant.

[goddess40]

14. I don't do the pledge or the Star Spangled Banner

I just remain seated. I never felt that those things represented me.
BUT this is my country and this administration should be ashamed not those of us who get it.

[tilsammans]

15. I'm ashamed of the Bush administration . . .

. . . not of being an American . . . but much less proud these days . . .

[ronnykmarshall]

16. I'm not ashamed to be an American

I'm just ashamed of the assholes that are running (ruining) it.

[notimetoloose]

17. Maybe I'm in the wrong place

But when I attended the walk for women's lives...I felt a unity and wanted to seek out similar folk...gee...here I'm only seeing negativity.

I still love our country...there have been crimes committed in nearly every administration...but why do you hate our country?

You can hate the top...the admin...but vow to change..don't give in to dissing our own country. IMHO.

[Liberal Christian]

18. I gave up the flag, the pledge and the national anthem for too many years

I surrended the flag, the pledge and the national anthem for most of my young adulthood. I had heard so much "America: Love it or leave it" language from people, been so badgered by flag-wavers who yelled at me for hating my country, been abused by "patriots" who tried to tell me I had no right to protest the Vietnam war.

It took a long time for me to reclaim the symbols of my own patriotism. I have always been loyal to this country. I have always treasured the life I have here. I've lived in other countries and know I would never give up my US citizenship. I have reclaimed the flag as my own and found my voice to sing the National Anthem. I won't surrender the symbols of the country I love.

Neither will I surrender my right, my duty, and my passion to disagree when I believe the leaders of my country are going the wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong way. That's one reason I love this country.

Here are some ways I define patriotism:
-- Knowing enough about what's going on in my city, state, region country and the world to be able to make decisions about how our leaders are doing.
-- Paying my FAIR share of taxes.
-- Making informed electoral choices and VOTING.
-- Letting my elected officials know what's on my mind.
-- Supporting what I can, offering constructive criticism of what I can't support, and exercising my right to protest.

[goddess40]

19. I love your definition of patriotism

It should be in the dictionary