I'm not sure I worded the question right, but I just got back from the Air Show at our local Navy base with my hubby and kids. When the Blue Angels started their portion of the show, it was an intense feeling in me that screamed "I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!" It was something like all of the thousands of people there telling the bad guys that they can shake us but not tear us down. I really can't explain the feeling, but WOW. The theme song from Top Gun was playing in the background while they were testing the engines and Fat Albert prepped for the intro show. So while this may seem a little silly, I still have a feeling inside of me that is so proud. (Let me add that I come from a long line of servicemen in the Air Force, Army, and Navy...grew up a Navy brat and married a Navy man. I have ALWAYS supported our military and been a proud American. I'm just saying this comment because I haven't felt that united proud American feeling in a long time, and it feels SO good!)
Great responses, ladies!! I definitely think there is so much discontent that a lot of times we forget how lucky we are to be American and how truly blessed we are. Nothing in life is free...and all of you seem to agree with that :). So thank God for our military and what they and their families sacrifice for people like me to go to Air Shows...but it truly is amazing when all sorts of people (different races, genders, nationalities, styles, political affiliations, etc) all get together and can do something that can mak even just one person feel how I feel today. God Bless America!!!!!!!
Exercising my First Amendment Rights.
Whether standing for something I believe in and being shot with pepper bullets, or sitting and gabbing about kids and husbands on the internet, I feel proud to live under the First Amendment. Doesn't matter what "side" we're on, participating in Civil Society is of the utmost importance I think.
Hooray!
There is a U2 song "bullet the blue sky" that I cannot even sing without getting choked up. The part when he sings "Outside is America, Outside is America" gets me so damn choked up! I am a proud American every single day, regardless of the BS I don't agree with or like!
Here are some of the lyrics of that song....
As a man breathes into a saxophone
And through the walls you hear the city groan
Outside is America
Outside is America
Across the field you see the sky ripped open
See the rain through a gaping wound
Pounding on the women and children
Who run
Into the arms
Of America
Not really. My intense frustration and disappointment generally overrides my patriotism. Not to say, I'd rather live anywhere else. I wouldn't. We still have freedom and opportunity, unique to most places. I am thankful for that. I find myself being very embarrassed of many things, as well. I really feel our country has lost just about all that had, to be so proud about in the past. Personally, I don't equate nostalgia with pride. Many people do.
I'm not trying to be a downer, it's just how I feel.
I support the military, because they volunteer themselves for that hard job. I am thankful for them, and feel terrible they have to be put through what they do. I know many men and woman in the service, and they have very conflicted feelings. (I'm not speaking for all, of course!) Proud of their job, hate all the war. Trying to help the countries they are in, still hating the war. Proud of themselves and their tasks, still hate the war. No one likes war. No one should be proud of it. (Not saying you are.)
There are so many times.
When I hear a business has opened and is doing well, I think wow, how amazing to be able to own any business you can think of. That is not allowed everywhere.
When I am at our school football games and the school bands are playing our National Anthem and everybody in the stands and on the field are together for those moments standing and singing. I feel proud and patriotic, I usually get a little weepy and love the giant cheer at the end..
When I see a school community at a carnival or fair, working together to support the school and even the neighbors with no children are there volunteering at the public school, available to all students, both sexes.. In some countries this is not available to everybody.
On Sundays when I pass all of the difference Religious places and see all of the cars and the diverse people coming together, even though I am not really religious, I think wow, how great to be in a country where you can believe in what fills your spirit..
Right now the College students have filled up our city and to see them all at the grocery store with all of the foods and fruits available from all over the world. I told my husband "stop and look around at the variety of people here today."
All ages, all nationalities...All of the languages.. We were saying, "imagine, lots of these people chose to be here to be educated!" They have traveled and sacrificed to come to the US and to our state and our city..
I feel very fortunate to be an American, I never take it for granted. Amazing!
When my 2nd daughter graduated from highschool in Lakeside California, we were blessed with a surprise air show as part of the proceedings. I swear I just wanted to collapse into a puddle and ball my eyes out. The whole thing, watching my daughter graduate with honors, remembering the years I poured into her homeschooling, the choices she made during highschool, and the FREEDOM that we all have and experience everyday was overwhelming.
i struggle with patriotism. i really do. but my biggest patriotism moment is probably during hometown parades. those always get me :) THAT is what 'my america' is about.
also just wanted to say that i lived in pensacola, fl for several years, which is the home base of the blue angels and fat albert...they do a "homecoming" show at the beach each summer....so i enjoyed your question very much :)
Nope, but it's cool. I am very patriotic in that I question as much as I am thankful and appreciative of my freedoms. That's all. I don't feel overly emotional about it, except when I'm angry or frustrated. I don't like that people who question things are cursed.
Voting in a presidential election for the first time. I have always been very political (even minored in government in college). I knew the struggle women went through for the right to vote and felt so fortunate to have the ability to help say who would represent our country.
The National Anthem, the sound of military jet engines (was once a sailor and worked on jets), Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American," Toby Keith's "Angry American," Johnny Cash's "Tired Old Flag," any parade that features military (especially veterans), when friend's kids say they're going into the military.....
I really have so many! :-)
I was just in Yosemite and I feel quite passionate about how lucky we are to be Americans and wander around this amazing, gorgeous land of ours. There were people from all over the world coming here to appreciate our land. I don't know, something about that makes me feel like we are the luckiest people on the planet.
I live next to a military base... I see every kind of uniform every day. I see freshly shaved 18 year olds, so full of pride on the streets. I used to work with veterans. Wanting to make this country safe and the brother and sisterhood that goes along with service is beyond my comprehension, but their commitment makes me proud.
I'm more of a hippy scholar type so the study of the constitution and our land is what does it for me.
hhhhmmmm...I am a PASSIONATE American (surprised?!?!??!)
Like you raised Navy, married USAF (twice! much to my dad's chagrine - couldn't I get the service right????!!)
Living overseas and visiting other countries - seeing the things I saw and experienced - makes me VERY PROUD to be an American...
I love the Blue Angels! (GGGGGGGGOOOOO NAVY!!!)
I still can't believe it's been 10 years since the terrorist attacks on our country - that day - that week - well, that week - I think ALL Americans were united and stood as one - that week - I was proud to be an American as well....
GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!! Send them home safely!!!
Like you, I'm a navy brat and also a navy wife. Also, now a navy mom. Love the Blue angels... Saw them almost every year growing up. Just saw them again last week. It's a very flag waving experience. I have come to the conclusion that I'm a very patriotic person... Always have been, but just recently realized that I am more than most. So there are so many things that give me that feeling. I cry at the National Anthem ( it's a little embarrassing) I often attend military ceremonies - have you ever seen an old glory detail? So very moving! Whenever there is a disaster and everyone helps each other, I am so proud of my country. National parks and the beauty of our country.... I could go on and on. I've visited several other countries and while I have so much respect for them all and loved my experience visiting, it always makes me realize what a great country we have.
Air shows are VERY patriotic.
And I am proud of my husband's service to the USA in the USMC as a presidential honor guard and his work at Arlington, laying veteran's to rest in a respectful, dignified manner.
But, really, it's the little things I see between ordinary people (neighbors helping neighbors in tough times with a meal, some fresh produce from a garden, supporting each other during a natural disaster, kindness to a family experiencing a job loss, death of a relative, etc which just illustrates that Americans pull together when the rubber hits the road, and THAT is what makes this a great country. America is as strong as the sum of all of us.
HAHA, Cheryl! "To your dad's CHAGRIN..." Very funny!
When I watched a bunch of homeschoolers last year, here in Florida, get together and form their own football team . . . when I watched many of their parents sacrifice to get to games and practices . . . when I knew they were all doing it on probably 1/10 the budget most schools do it -
Yeah, I'm proud to live in a country where we have the FREEDOM to educate and raise our own children the way we see fit. And I pray it always stays that way.
That's awesome! We live near an airforce base and I feel the same way to just have them practice and fly over our house.
My 16-year old daughter wrote a song when she was 15 about military wives whose husbands are serving our country overseas!! This song makes me cry every time! It's called "As Time Goes By."
the first forth of july fireworks show we went to right after 9-11 was pretty intense, that and the forth of july event ben and i went to, that was about 6 weeks before i discovered i was pregnant. ( i was craving a beef hot dog,and a blueberry snow cone, couldnt figure it out)there was one thing that happened that day that still cant figure, i tripped on the cobblestones, and was about to go down belly first ( which probably would have made me miscarry a pregnancy i didnt even know about yet), when some hispanic guy reached out and righted me, brushed me off and sent me on my way. he then causally patted my tummy, winked and waved. in the time it took for me to turn around, he was gone. i never got his name.
K. h.
Lots of things touch my patriotic nerve, but most recently it was Alexandra Pelosi's documentary "Citizen USA" which showed little excerpts and short interviews with people in all 50 states who were about to become naturalized citizens. To hear what THEY thought was the best thing about the US, or why they wanted to come, or why they love our nation so much--very inspiring and definitely makes one pause to consider the blessings afforded to naturally-born citizens.
Voting does it for me.
Military displays don't impress me.
