Other People's Words

It is true that recent immigrants seem to "get it" better than X^th generation "natives." At a forum I'm a (recent) member of, this was a topic put up by one member:

Are you patriotic? If so why? To me,it makes little sense in feeling pride in something that was due to fortune and involves no personal achievement.

The very first reply says it all, and better than I could:

My grandparents and great-grandparents left a dangerous place to start a new life here.

I am fully aware of how lucky I am to live here rather than in Russia or the other locations.

I can say whatever I want, no matter how stupid or political.

I can drive anywhere I want with out clearance or papers.

I can earn any job I want, it does not depend on who I know or how much I pay in bribes.

I am proud and grateful that the US is able to help Haiti and other folks. I am proud that we in the US do this without a referendum and without moving speeches by our politicians.

I am proud and grateful that we change political control of this country every 4 years without fighting or protesting or bringing in the military to maintain the peace.

I am proud and grateful that the US has fought in many wars to help others when we could have sat it out.

I am proud and grateful that I have several family members currently serving overseas, not just blowing things up, but fixing things, helping the small farmer, helping to bring water and electricity to the poor, helping maintain peace. All can and have risen in the ranks by effort, not connections, not bribes.

I am grateful and proud that when my sister-in-law was part of the effort to put Iraqis to work, she was asked by the Iraqis how much they needed to pay her for giving them the contracts and my sister-in-law, along with everyone in her unit, was stunned that someone expected to bribe them for work. They did not take bribes, it had not even occurred to them that such a question would be asked.

I am grateful and proud that our soldiers are willing to die, willing to die to prevent the collateral damage, shooting deaths of the innocents in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our war dead would be less than 1/2 of what it is if we were not so careful to fight only the bad guys.

Damned straight. And I'm proud to live in the same country as the man who wrote that.