Oh, Beautiful...

U-S-A!  U-S-A!  U-S-A!  (Everybody!)

U-S-A! U-S-A! 

I would like to identify myself as worldly but I have one characteristic that tends to negate that in the minds of others.  

I love America!

I disagree with people when they say that our country is nothing but arrogant, power-hungry and consumeristic.  I tell them that I think we are a nation that makes many mistakes but seeks to find the dignity in all human life.  

I tell them that we are a people of great spirit, who constantly defend our way of life because we believe it is right.  We are a people of service, a people of optimism.

I tell them that America is a country that gives me the right to drive, to speak, to have a job, to wear what I wish, to prosecute someone who attacks me, to have as many children as I want and care for them however I want, to sleep with anyone I want, to run for office, to be president and to live a life of dignity.  As a woman, these are not freedoms that I take for granted.

I never forget to mention that we are a country of idealism.  Some people would say this is dangerous, but I say it's vitally important.  We have to be able to see the world we envision as possible and cynicism has no place in this.

I say to them that, although we get it wrong, although our country is rarely what we all want it to be, although politics is often ugly and divisive, despite all these things, I still believe we are a nation that seeks the good of all mankind.

And I said all of these things before it was cool to!

I hope to always have the foresight to honor the men and women who decide to tackle the public arena.  Even when they make many decisions I disagree with (as the last president did and I'm sure the new president will), I hope to honor their service.  It is an important work and one that deserves some dignity. 

So back up off!  

Don't worry, I won't become a political blogger.  There's little I despise more.  But just like after I watch too many episodes of the West Wing, I am excited to be living in this place and being an active participant in the action of our government.  And our country inspires me to bloviate.  I'm pretty sure it's in the constitution.

Song of the day: Proud to be an American by Lee Greenwood (And God bless the redneck that made this video out of the stock photos that come on a pc, personal snapshots and what pops up on google images when you type "America rocks!"):