What America Means to Me

I don’t remember a time when I was a kid, much unlike most children today, when I was NOT proud to be American. I said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at the start of class. I took off my hat whenever the Star Spangled Banner was played. I had a joyous heart on the 4th of July walking down Broad Street with the Little Leaguers in the ANNUAL parade. Later that same day my heart felt heavy when the VFW did a 21 gun salute to the fallen heroes. Yes, I was PROUD to be American.
I was only the 3rd generation born in the USA. My parents had a close link to their grandparents, the founding immigrants. Having my family ties from what was a communist country, I had to endure all of the commie jokes most of my adolescence, but I was only one of a few from high school to enlist in the military and fight for what I believed in. Dad was a Vietnam vet. Grandpa fought the “Big One”. I went with my dad and watched him cry as he touched The Wall, seeing the names of his buddies that didn’t come back. That is what America is to me- the softening of the hardest warrior after doing his duty. These men and women know better than most what freedom and liberty is because they fought for it.
America IS the greatest country this world has ever seen. Sure, it has it’s warts, blemishes and atrocities. What country doesn’t? I ask you this- how many other countries are there where people are dying in their efforts to get to it? Those desperately trying to flee a communist country to a lesser evil communist country doesn’t count (think those trying to get INTO China from N. Korea). We are the most philanthropic country, the most caring, the most generous with our time, talents and treasures. When a natural disaster occurs anywhere in the world, who does the world look to for help? When some country needs “policemen” to help quell some uprising, who’s phone rings? Don’t bother listening to Mr. Tingles or the rest of his ilk. The media is full of turncoats and liberals. If you are American, whether natural born or naturalized, BE PROUD OF IT!!
That’s what we as Americans are. We’re proud people. We are fun loving. We have fun at a Sunday church picnic or a NASCAR tailgate party before the race. We reach out and lend a hand to a neighbor that needs it, without looking for payment or paybacks. We’ll pull you out of a ditch or help you out with $20 to see you through to payday. We cheer for the underdog and praise the victor. We have an American flag hanging in at least one room of our house and one on the lawn and another on our bumper. We drive Chevys, Fords and Dodges, not Toyota, Nissan, or Volkswagen. We cheered and jumped for joy when we beat the Soviet Union in Lake Placid (1980 Olympic ice hockey for you young ‘uns). We loved Rambo, Rocky Balboa and Superman. Yes, we are Americans and damn proud of it. Those of you that don’t agree- Fidel always needs new people to add to the gene pool. Got it, Comrade?