A “Proud American” Male
I was thinking about the meaning of some “Labels” that we use in our society such as: Patriotism, Proud American, Courage, Loyal, Real American, Real Man, etc. What came up for me was that our society uses the above words not always as a sincere compliment, but as a convenient method of: vilifying, demonizing, manipulating, approving of, controlling, motivating, patronizing, and judging others.
As a “Proud American” male I prefer to think of myself in the model of: hard work, self reliance, compassion, fairness, integrity, service to others, generosity, kindness, and forgiveness. It would be difficult for me to be to feel “Proud” if I modeled myself on: selfishness, narcissism, apathy, intolerance, arrogance, insolence, blind allegiance to any government or religion.
Definition of “Proud” in Webster’s Dictionary- feeling or showing pride; having or displaying excessive self esteem; much pleased; having self respect.
Synonyms for “Proud” – arrogant; haughty; lordly; insolent; overbearing; supercilious; disdainful.
I am trying very hard to cast myself as a consistent “Proud American” male, but through a review of our history, I come up against resistance based on the following examples:
• Denial of a women’s right to vote for 150 years up until 1920.
• Enslavement of Afro-Americans for 80 years after the Declaration of Independence, and then complicity with racist ignorant members of our population to continue to hold back opportunities in education, housing, jobs, military, and social integration.
• The systematic murder, brutalization and outright theft of land belonging to Native Americans.
• Long history of pollution, raping of the land, and general disregard for the moral stewardship of our countries land.
• We call a man a “Pussy” or “Wimp” for acting compassionately, sensitive, or non-violent. I will choose “Pussy” over war mongering, racist, homophobic, violent pig any day. But then again we don’t have a great track record for respecting the power and rights of women, ergo “Pussy”.
• Major Racism and Ignorance until the Supreme Court decision that overturned the will of the people in 1970 to make Inter-Racial Marriage illegal.
• Internment of over 100,000 loyal Japanese Americans during WWII, but no incarceration for German and Italian Americans whose native countries were also our enemies during that time period. Could this be our inherent racism and inability to accept people who did not look like us of European extraction?
• That we are one of last developed nations who is finally starting to create a structure for affordable and accessible health care. Should health care be a basic human right not included in our Capitalistic system to create profit based on human suffering? The right to be healthy should be on a level of have enough to eat, having clean air to breathe, and clean water to drink. Health care even trumps the right to housing and social human rights(not to diminish human rights).
• We have a demonstrable history of putting “Profit” and “Greed” above human rights, basic health care, a clean environment, non-warring dispute resolution.
• We are a nation of some “Narcissistic Behaviors” coupled with “Excessive Consumption”.
• The “Silent Majority” has not actively protested against the Vietnam War and the latest Iraq invasion.
• We are not enlightened enough to understand that “Gay Marriage” will not interfere with anyone else’s marriage, or that we need to stand up to repressive religious leaders, and that there is no scientific data that demonstrates that Gay Marriage will harm society. A just and non-biased Supreme Court will ultimately overturn “Prop 8”, as it justly turned down the repressive doctrine of “Separate but Equal” (Plessy v…. ) in the rightful case of Brown v. Board of Education.
• “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is dishonest, hypocritical and a shameful compromise to placate some ignorant homophobic members of the military and congress.
• An attitude of “Nationalism” or as some use the word “Patriotism” that’s lets us delude ourselves into thinking that we are superior to all other nations.
• A concern that if we are too critical of our “National Behavior” that we are not true “Patriots” or “Proud Americans”. General Motors did not embark upon a focused objective program of inner criticism and as a result would be out of business if it were not for the “Bailout”. Hubris and Arrogance ultimately lead to decay, and not progress and self improvement.
• Those who say, “Love it or Leave It” is not a positive solution to growth and progress, only an “Arrogant” and “Haughty” negative retort.

I find the above examples shameful, embarrassing, and sad; and that we as a supposed “Rightful and Proud” nation conduct ourselves so inhumanely and selfishly.
A few examples of American’s we should be really proud of are:
• Dwight Eisenhower, a Republican president and military leader who had the courage and integrity to challenge the military establishment and said, “Beware of the Military Industrial Complex”.
• Martin Luther King Jr. who selflessly championed for equal rights and peace through “Non Violent Demonstrations” and ultimately lost his life due to fear and bigotry that he tried to erase.
• Thurgood Marshall who was a brilliant jurist and vocal civil rights lawyer, who could have selfishly chosen to make a lot more money doing corporate law, but chose to champion the rights of the less powerful and disadvantaged.
• Those people who championed for human rights, and as a result were vilified as “Communists” during the McCarthy era.
• Abraham Lincoln, Bobby Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson who went against the political tide to champion for human rights and freedom.
• The “Minority” of Americans on all strata’s of the political and social spectrum who non-violently protested, because they cared and understood that the biggest threat to a democracy was not the Politicians, but the “Silent Uninformed Majority”.
• Those American’s who volunteer their time and/or money giving free service to improve: education, health, and alleviate human suffering.
• Those who see that we have an “Abundant Universe” and conduct themselves accordingly.

There also a great deal of wonderful attributes that the people of our country possess:

Positive thinking, resolve, hard work, focus, creativity, courage, compassion, tolerance, diversity, generosity, and forgiveness

Through “Constructive Self Criticism” we can build on the wonderful attributes of America, and leave the “Repressive Dysfunctional Old World Traditions and Thinking” behind us.