Today, I am proud to be an American

Today, I am can honestly say I am proud to be an American.

During the past eight years, I could not say that.  Our country has been party to torture, murder, repression, invasion and oppression.  The rich have gotten richer on the backs of the poor and middle class.  It has all been about the “me” attitude.

I believe the worst thing that ever happened to our country leaves office today, at 12 Noon, Eastern time.  And because of our Constitution and the men and women of all colors I can say that.  I’m allowed.  Today a journalist who made a critical remark about the king of Thialand languishes in prison, but I can say I never liked a president, in public, on my blog.

When I talk about the men and women who fought for our freedoms, I’m speaking of our Revolutionary men and women, our Civil Rights men and women.  Men and women, of all colors, who gave their fortunes, their freedoms, and their lives so that you and I can live.  While the Constitution guaranteed our freedoms, it took men like Rev. Martin Luther King Jr to help guarantee those freedoms for all, no matter the amount of melatonin in their skin.  It took men and women whose names I don’t know standing up.

Now, before everyone starts going off about how our men and women in the military go off about how they are fighting for that right now, I want you to ask yourself a question.  Did Sadam Hussein ever try to infringe my your personal and civil rights?  No, he didn’t.  He and his country were absolutely no harm to us.

I do support our troops, I do not support their war.  I want our troops home, safe, with their families where they belong.  They are bravely following orders that are wrong, morally and legally.  And I’m not anti-war.  Just anti-invasion.  We have been involved in wars that were morally correct (WWI, WWII just to name two).

When did our country dip so low that waterboarding and torture were deemed ok?  When people could be snatched off the streets, by our CIA, in other countries and held hostage (yes, they were held hostage, they are not legal prisoners, but hostages of the past regime)?

When was it ok to tell people that because you are against the war, you are not American?  When is it ok to ignore the Bill of Rights?

When did it become ok for the rich to do as they want, make as much as they want, off the backs of the poor and middle class?  Can we let them get away with anything and everything?  Is that what captialism is?

Today, we begin a new day.  One where everyone is an American, not just a select few.  One where we start thinking about someone else, not just “me”.  It’s a new generation and a new start.  A day we can be proud to have witnessed.