A Patriotic Perspective

It was the fourth of July. I was sitting in the car in the parking lot of Wal-Mart, listening to the radio. On came the song "I'm Proud To Be An American" by Lee Greenwood. I thought to myself, "Why am I proud to be an American?"

At first I experienced a flood of negative thoughts. I thought, “I am not proud to be an American when I think of the War in Iraq. I despise the way American citizens were lied to in order to get us to approve of the unilateral invasion of Iraq. I am embarrassed that our military occupation of that nation has not been able to secure the peace, and I am disgusted by the treatment of our prisoners of war.”

My thoughts continued, "I am not proud of the ‘No Child Left Behind Act’ that robs money from inner city schools which have the poorest students, living in neighborhoods with systemic illiteracy and gives that money to the richest, lily white suburban schools, where the parents have the highest level of income and college education. I take no pride in the fact that our government never signed the Global Warming Treaty, that it fails to provide universal health care for all citizens and stands idly by while American corporations fire full-time workers in order to hire part time workers to get out of paying for health insurance benefits."

I abhor the genocide that was perpetrated against the Native Americans and the fact that this country was built on the backs of African slaves. But I do take pride in the abolition of slavery, in the fact that the right to vote, work and own property was extended to all women and all minorities.

I am proud that I live in a country where there is freedom of religion. I am impressed by the diversity of religious traditions and that I have the freedom to choose the one that suits me best. I take pride that I live in a country where there is separation of Church and State: where the Church helped to further the Civil Rights Movement and the Peace Movement during the Vietnam War; and where, despite Church opposition, women still have the right to a legal abortion and gay rights are increasingly being recognized.

I think it is wonderful that I live in a country where every child has the right to a free and public education; where workers have the right to organize and to be represented by labor unions; where social security supports the elderly in their retirement and where the rights of the disabled are protected.

The people of this nation are amazing! We are the melting pot of the whole world, yet we live in peace. There is an awesome spirit of volunteerism in America! I love the natural beauty of our land and the national and state parks that preserve that beauty for all citizens to enjoy.

I love this country and take pride in it, when it lives up to the ideals of liberty and justice for all. But most of all I love the truth that I have freedom of speech. I do not have to agree with government policies and I have the right to express my opinion in writing and that the government can not censure what I write or put me in prison. Why are you proud to be an American?



Dr. Greene is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and a resident of Richmond, IN. He is also the author of Benjamin's Dog Joseph, Feeling Better: The Wisdom of the Doc, You Can Feel Better: How to cope with chronic pain and physical disabilities, and co-author of Walking Free: the Nellie Zimmerman Story.

For further information about his books, please visit www.densmorereid.com

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