Proud to be an American

I'm not ashamed to say that I am again proud to be an American.

I'm not ashamed to say that in the past, it's been difficult for me to be proud to be an American. I have seen and heard where the rest of the world stands and I have heard their complaints loud and clear.

To clarify, this does not mean I do not recognize the privileges I have had, but I know that my national origin is not the reason for many, if not all, of those privileges, for there are many of my fellow Americans who were not given those same opportunities. I received a valuable education, but the children Hannah works with in the Bronx are American citizens as well, so why don't they deserve the same right to quality education? If my status as an American is why I received that, why not all? Maybe it was my status as a white middle class American instead...

It is easy to say I take my American identity for granted because I have never had to fight for it. But for me, maybe fighting for my American identity has been less about fighting terrorists and more about preserving and caring for the American people. We can go around the world to take down leaders who force injustices upon their people, but injustices happen here, daily. It is an injustice that 3 elementary schools in the Bronx are operating out of one building because they failed No Child Left Behind. It is an injustice that a woman fights for her life every time her husband or partner tried to possess it for himself through violence. It is an injustice that Americans go hungry, cold, without shelter.

And those are just a handful of the injustices happening everyday in our great country.

I think we can do better.

When I hear the far right with their cries of, "Kill the terrorists before they kill my family!." It makes me sad. It makes me sad that they live in a world driven by fear and that they are in a constant state of defense. Liberals may have gained the reputation of being angry, but we are angry because we know the world and our country can be better.

But what baffles me more than the cries of the far right with their preemptive violence are the cries of the "Conservative Christians." In one breath I hear that I should value life, do God's work and preach the gospel. Yet from the same mouth, I hear support of the death penalty, war and the question, "Why should my hard earned money pay for some lazy guy's handouts?"

And so comes the question these "Christians" love to ask, "What would Jesus do?"

Jesus fed the hungry and clothed the naked. He didnt ask how they got there or why they are hungry.
Jesus practiced compassion.
Jesus didn't only tolerate, Jesus accepted. No matter who you were, gay, straight, prostitute, nun, liberal or conservative.

In my mind, it doesn't matter if a person is on welfare because of their own fault, mistakes, or due to outside circumstances. Every person deserves dignity, food and shelter.

It's simple.

Whether it is God, Jesus, Buddha, Allah, or any other figure you believe in, or dont, the fact remains, humans have worth. Humans have worth no matter their circumstances.

So with this election, with this new leader, lets not turn the angry left into the angry right. At this point, in this world, this can no longer be about me or you or the guy down the street, its about US.

Maybe beginning at home, but reaching into the world.

So now, I AM proud to be an American because I see hope, dignity and love.

And those are things that everyone deserves.



"Si quieres paz, lucha por la justicia"