It has now been seven years since the attacks of 9/11...so much has changed and so much is the same. The morning when it happened I had skipped class and was laying in bed thinking I should get up and do something when I heard two of my roommates talking in the hallway about a building collapse. Nothing they were saying made any sense to me so I got up and went to find out what was going on. When I saw the television I just couldn't believe it was real...I spent the rest of the day glued to the tv trying to comprehend what was going on. Over the next few weeks the tragedy became more and more clear, but it was also amazing see the patriotism. It was the first time in my life when it was cool to love the United States...I always have loved the US and thought I was blessed to be born here but sadly that hasn't been the message conveyed throughout our society during my life time. But over those few weeks no matter where I went, in the state of Michigan at least, everyone was waving flags and had signs saying "God Bless America".
However, over the following months and years I feel the United States has gone back to the old way of only talking about the nation if we are saying something bad about it. Yes it is true that the United States has real problems that need to be fixed (I have very strong opinions on many of the issues), but that doesn't take way from the fact that this is a great nation. Working with students from other nations on a daily basis has made me realize that everyone seems to openly love their country unless they are from the United States...the country everyone comes to for freedom, liberty, and education. Now I'm young but I do understand that during a time of war public opinion is going to decline, but I really don't think our government is getting a fair shake with the Iraq War. Many openly compare the current war to Vietnam and say that the government is doing it all over again...well (1) I don't think that is true and (2) the numbers don't support that attitude. We have been over there for about 5 years and have lost approximately 4,000 soldiers, which is a lot more then I wish were lost, but in the 8 years of combat in Vietnam the United States lost about 58,000 soldiers...those numbers aren't even comparable. So yes we have our problems socially, economically, and politically, but I'm proud to be an American.
However, over the following months and years I feel the United States has gone back to the old way of only talking about the nation if we are saying something bad about it. Yes it is true that the United States has real problems that need to be fixed (I have very strong opinions on many of the issues), but that doesn't take way from the fact that this is a great nation. Working with students from other nations on a daily basis has made me realize that everyone seems to openly love their country unless they are from the United States...the country everyone comes to for freedom, liberty, and education. Now I'm young but I do understand that during a time of war public opinion is going to decline, but I really don't think our government is getting a fair shake with the Iraq War. Many openly compare the current war to Vietnam and say that the government is doing it all over again...well (1) I don't think that is true and (2) the numbers don't support that attitude. We have been over there for about 5 years and have lost approximately 4,000 soldiers, which is a lot more then I wish were lost, but in the 8 years of combat in Vietnam the United States lost about 58,000 soldiers...those numbers aren't even comparable. So yes we have our problems socially, economically, and politically, but I'm proud to be an American.
2 comments:
well said!
Comfort creates complacentcy... fear creates motivation. Sad but true sometimes.
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