John and Lisa's Blue Skies Blog – Soaring with God

September 11, 2001 taught me how much I love my country.  Yet our bumper-sticker culture still leaves me puzzled at times.  Here’s one that especially makes me wonder:   “Proud to be an American.”

I mean, one can be “proud” of something one has accomplished, such as finishing school, raising a family, etc. – but unless one is a naturalized American and had to deal with INS, I can’t see what anyone did to become an American.  Being “proud to be an American” is like me saying I’m proud I have blue eyes.

There may be something to reincarnation after all.  I wonder if those with this “proud” bumper sticker were asked before birth what country they wanted to be born in. Bangladesh, obviously, would not be a good choice. Maybe they thought long and hard about it while floating in that never-never land between lives and chose to be born in America.  

I wonder if they were told what their gender would be and if they were warned that many countries make women second-class citizens.  Another reason to choose America.

For me, I’ll just say, “I’m blessed to be an American.”