Are You Proud?

While we were at Disney World, we had the opportunity to watch spectacular fireworks every night. This was a true treat, since we usually only see fireworks like that on the 4th of July, a day which we Americans celebrate our nation's independence. How proud are you to be an American? Perhaps you, like me, don't truly comprehend the depth of our independence, but my husband, Pete (and other military people who have gone overseas to fight for our freedom) understands the breadth of our liberation. Today is Flag Day, a day in which we should proudly hang our flags and demonstrate how proud we are to be Americans. The 4th of July is only a few weeks away, and then, too, we may honor who we are. Our flag hangs from now until the 4th, because we are so proud to be free. When our country was attacked on 9-11 by terrorists, that freedom was taken from us. George W. Bush had just become our president, and he vowed to never let those terrorists rape us again like they did. I think Bush did a mighty splendid job keeping us safe. In fact, I think that was his major objective while in office. The pitfalls our economy is undergoing right now are an accumulation of many varying factors, many of which are world-wide. How can someone blame our president for something that started on the other side of the country with shipping and other world-wide business, and trickled down to our nation? I think these people are just looking for someone to blame. Remember- when you point the finger, four more are pointing back to you. Don't judge a person unless you have walked in his shoes. I must say, Obama is NOT who I voted for, but I hold nothing against him. I think he is doing a fine job- and it is not his fault either that our country is in this mess. I see bumper stickers around town that say "Impeach Obama"- there they go pointing fingers again.

Did you know my great ancestor signed the "Declaration of Independence"? Yes- it's true. His name was Charles Carroll of Carrolltonhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03379c.htm and he was proud to be an American after coming over here with his family to flee from religious persecution. On my mother's side, the Carroll family was very prominent in the South. We still have land in Louisiana from that time.Charles is remembered in the third stanza of the state song 'Maryland, My Maryland':

Thou wilt not cower in the dust,(Maryland!)Thy beaming sword shall never rust,(Maryland!)Remember Carroll's sacred trust,Remember Howard's warlike thrust,-And all thy slumberers with the just,Maryland! My Maryland!

Are you proud to be an American? If so, please tell me why. America is a great place to live, or at least it has been. Hopefully we can keep running on a fair democracy and not let socialism take over. I don't think our founding forefathers, my great, great, great grandfather, would have wanted that for this country. Let's unify and move on, instead of pointing the fingers at past people who did their best (don't parent's do their best at the time, but someone always blames them, too?).