Proud to be an American

I grew up with a mom who was vehemently patriotic. My dad was patriotic to some degree but he never really got excited about much of anything. He'd get plenty angry about things, but never passionate about anything. My mom always was, and is still to this day, capable of the most fiery displays of passion for the things she believes in. I get it from her.

Throughout college I always had a big American flag hanging in my room, American and Texas flag stickers on my truck, and after 9/11 painted the windows of my truck with things I won't repeat here. I've had American-themed clothing, know the words to just about all of our patriotic songs, and even now have patriotic-themed playlists on my iPod about both America and Texas. A few months ago while visiting Austin I bought a Texas t-shirt like a common tourist, despite being born in Texas and living there for 33 years.

In recent years, however, I started quietly shunning flag stickers and avoided saying things like, "I'm proud to be an American." It sounded WAY too Republican. Liberals, generally speaking, don't appear outwardly patriotic, and the more liberal I became the more I toned down my own displays of patriotism. Quotes from Einstein and others bashing patriotism stuck with me and I got to thinking that I must be a fool for it. After all, what's to be proud of? Arbitrary political boundaries? Blind allegiance to some government or culture? We should tear down the boundaries and strive for global harmony. Imagine there's no countries, it isn't hard to do - nothing to kill or die for and no religion too. You know, all that hippie stuff.

Turned out I found other ways to express my patriotism. I started to avoid buying anything made in China at all costs, and always buy American when possible. I got into self sufficiency and supporting the small businesses and farms in my local community. I found a really functional form of patriotism that also happened to fit perfectly into the liberal mindset of being green and helping the little guy.

Well I think I've come full circle. Lately little shows of patriotism have been creeping back into my life. Last February when I visited DC for the first time, I bought a flag pin at the Lincoln Monument and wore it as I walked around the National Mall pondering it all. I felt an enormous swell of pride in my country and my people, despite our considerable flaws.

For the longest time I thought liberals and patriotism didn't go together and that really bothered me. Until I moved to Boulder, I can't say I'd ever met a liberal who came anywhere near being as visibly patriotic as your average conservative. It bothered me because I have always felt that in most ways liberals actually have more ideals in line with the professed American ideals than conservatives do. Conservatives say you should love your neighbor, but liberals actually make an effort to do that. While liberals are protesting the destruction of Creation and calling on world unity, conservatives are staging hate rallies or bombing pretty much anyone who isn't like themselves or who might have a negative affect on their pocketbook. The America I believe in doesn't just sing about purple mountains majesty but actually tries to make sure they stay majestic and unspoiled, and really believes in America the melting pot, not America the pot of gold to be plundered at the expense of the environment and other people. I don't want to go too far down this road, but why not a patriotic liberal? It seems perfectly natural to me.

So I moved to Boulder and met Ryan Van Duzer, our local celebrity. This fanatical bike riding vegetarian is my age and has never driven a car in his life. He's biked from Honduras (where he worked in the Peace Corps for two years) all the way back to Boulder. He's biked from Maine to Florida and from California to DC. He's extremely active in the community and is probably the most outgoing, liberal-minded person I know. He's also the most accepting, fit-in-anywhere guy I've ever known, and he is every bit as patriotic as any conservative I've ever known. He frequently talks about being proud to be an American and often rides with an American flag on his bike. It astonished me. It was like discovering Bigfoot. The mythical flag-waving liberal really does exist. I suppose on some level it made me feel validated to find I wasn't alone.

Then on top of all this, I just finished reading a book called God's Middle Finger in which a white guy sets out to explore the notorious dark heart of the Sierra Madre in Mexico. I could write volumes on my thoughts about this, but I'd rather you read the book and let's talk about it over coffee. About a quarter of the way into the book, I thought there can't be a God if this is true. By the end I just said to myself, with complete sincerity and humbleness, thank God I have the life I do. Despite all my complaints about desk jobs and bums in the park, I have a life that the vast majority of the people who have ever lived on this planet couldn't even dream of. Despite corrupt politicians and FOX news, compared to Mexico, the United States of America really is the land of milk and honey where the streets are paved with gold. That's no joke. When I read stuff like that, I'm not just proud to be an American, I'm thankful to the bottom of my heart.

And keeping with that theme, a co-worker of mine recently was sent to Haiti for a few days. She is by no means a flashy person. She's not interested in labels or consumerism, but I wouldn't really call her a liberal activist type either. She returned from Haiti looking like she'd seen a ghost. We talked at length about her experience there and she said she simultaneously felt guilt and utter gratitude for her American life. She's a well traveled, educated woman who has been to many parts of the world and she agreed wholeheartedly that most Americans don't know how very, very good we've got it.

So while others are proud to be gay or proud to be black or proud to be whatever, I will proudly say that I am an American. I love this country and am fascinated by her history, I love my freedom, my flag, my culture and my fellow Americans. And I will continue to fight to make this country a better place, to right our collective wrongs, and do my little part in my little community to be the best American I can be. This is not a slam or a dismissal of other countries, this is me saying that I love my home and it is my wish to make it the best home I can.