I Am Still Proud to Be the American I Am: You Can Be Too

Photo courtesy of Esteban Carriazo / Pexels

As long as I can remember, I recall hearing the words “these crazy times we are living in.” That includes moments in time when we landed on the moon (yes, I believe we did, and I wasn’t born yet), or moments of horror and then resilience of our people after September 11, 2001. Those moments made you look over at the flag and feel a sense of pride. Those moments are becoming less frequent, but they shouldn’t. Patriotism is far too often associated with absolute allegiance to a flag and the government behind it. I don’t believe that.

I also remember a time when everyone would proudly display the flag of the United States without feeling like it may raise questions about political beliefs. The Fourth of July was, well, prideful. Hearing the Star-Spangled Banner made us feel grateful to be here and to have the freedoms and rights that we have. When I traveled outside the US, I was proud to say “I am American,” and I would more than likely get an inquisitive response. Even visiting Canada, our close friend and neighbor, people asked questions in a very excited and impressed way. All of that feels just a bit different now. Regardless of how you feel about our government, it is different. We are divided, very divided.

Many Americans right now are taking division as a reason to put away the flag. They see those who disagree with them as “the America they know now” and see no reason to be prideful. I am here to tell you that those are the reason TO BE prideful.

I have been to all 50 states, most of them more than once, and many for months at a time. America still has plenty to be proud of. We are diverse in people, culture, and landscape. We stand up for what we believe in, even if our neighbor disagrees. Even though there are far too many examples of attempts to censor people, at the end of the day, we still have the right to free speech and free press. Yes, I recognize that right extends well past the United States, but my point is that, as divided as we are and as chaotic as our federal government is, I still write this without fear of repercussion (I am not referring to the comments).

As I travel globally, I meet people from all over the world. This includes people from Russia, Israel, Iran, and beyond. These people are not their government, as I am not mine. When I meet someone from Russia, I don’t immediately start thinking about Russia’s political landscape and how it’s affecting our country or me personally. I often assume this person is educated, or at least attempting to broaden their thinking. They are exploring the world and chatting with me, after all. I hope the same consideration is given to me when the situation is reversed. All of this needs to start applying at home, too. When we meet someone for the first time and get some indication that they may hold a different political view, we need to reset. We need to treat our fellow Americans with the same open-mindedness that we want extended to us.

Recently, my wife and I traveled to a rural part of the world and stayed in a homestay on an island, where couples and families rotated in and out as their travels continued. One family stood out: a mother and her two young daughters from Arkansas. I have been to Arkansas and have spent more than a month collectively in different parts of the state, meeting many kinds of people.

Let’s face it: Arkansas has a reputation in the media for not being the most open-minded place. In May, the state ranked 48th in education nationally. But this family was not a statistic on a list. They were wonderful people on a journey to explore the good in the world and meet others trying to do the same.

People are not their government, and they are not always what our preconceived notions, or even our previous experiences, might lead us to believe. People are individuals, regardless of where they come from, who they are related to, or who governs their homeland. This is a lesson I remind myself of when traveling the globe, but it is even more important to apply when I am home. This family represented Arkansas and the United States in a way that made me proud.

The America I know and love was never intended to be a perfect nation. Our founders started this country 250 years ago, knowing it would face many obstacles and that there would be many arguments to have far into the future. They built the entire system around that idea, knowing it was far from perfect and would need consistent attention. That is what we need to be reminded of as we look at the flag and hear our anthem play. Yes, our rights and freedoms are still worth a hand over the heart, but it is our resilience that should make us stand tall. No matter how difficult things have gotten, we are still moving forward. I am not saying it has been perfect, and I am sympathetic to those who have had it tough recently, but as a country and as a system, we are still alive.

I am not always proud of my countrymen, and I am rarely proud of my federal government as of late, but I am still proud to be the American I am. I am proud that I am open-minded and do my best to see people for who they are. I am proud that I learn from my mistakes. I have seen this country, I have met my neighbors, and I am proud of them. I am proud to travel here and abroad, and if I am prejudged for my passport, shame on them.

I will leave you with this:

I am proud to represent the country I know and the good people in it. I am committed to remaining open-minded, with the understanding that I am far from perfect, and that is on me and me alone, not my neighbor. I am proud to live in a place I can leave and come back to with stories to tell and impressions left behind. I have the power to create a positive image of my home country by representing myself in an equitable and caring way, and I intend to use that power. My pride is in our path forward, and for that I am proud to be an American.

Happy 250

On my blog, It’s How I Travel®, I write about authentic travel experiences that help us all know better and do better. From destination guides to cultural stories, it’s about exploring with intention.

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