The old America is dying! All our traditional values, theology, and way of life are gone! So what, am I supposed to cry about it? And, who gave the republicans the copyright to the American image? The reality is that the definition of what it means to be an American is always changing. Every generation gets the opportunity to re-invent itself, prioritize its values the way it sees fit. We have processes, like elections, that we follow that encourage these changes. We exercised that process, our voices were heard, and change happened.
There are a lot of things to be proud of in life, but I think that pride should be restricted to things you achieve, not accidents or things that are reduced to chance. Are you proud to be born an American, proud to be the color that you happen to be, proud to worship the "one true god" that your parents and your peers told you was the "one true god?" All these things are not something to be proud of; you did nothing to achieve them. Any perceived advantages that come from them are just that, perception. You can be "Happy" to be an American, or happy from any of these things, that's fine. I'm happy that this genetic improbability put me where I am, right here, right now, and I'm fine with that. Genetics and Geography, you personally had nothing to do with either.
The face of America may not look like it did 50 years ago, but why should it? Do you really think it's a good idea to want to return to the way it was? American history is full of great achievements, but it's also full of poison. What we call Manifest Destiny could be referred to as an apocalypse to the Native Americans. Is a white face the only one that should be considered American? Ask any Evangelical republican pundit from the south and they would say yes. This is the America they are referring to. It's selfish, unsatisfying, and down right racist.
Let's go back to this pride thing. Assume you are born here in America like me, raised in a middle class family, went to school and now have a decent paying job and can afford to take care of your family, buy a house and drive a newer car. All of these things are (relatively) as easy as falling off a truck when you are born under the right conditions. Where I work we have a carwash, almost 100% of the carwash personnel is Hispanic. Now these people left their home country, everything they knew, everyone they loved to try and better their lives. They come here to raise a family in the country of opportunity and are starting with nothing. And when I get off work everyday sometimes I'll ask one as he or she is leaving, "Time for cervesa huh?" And the answer is almost always, "no my friend, I have to go to work." They work from 7am to 5pm, outside in the sun all day in all weather, and now they still have to go to work at their second job just to survive. And off they go, riding a bicycle. Their kids pledge to the same flag every morning as mine. If anybody has the right to be proud to be an American, it's people like this, they earned it.
I voted Obama, according to all my Facebook friends, Fox news, and people at work this makes me one of the 50% of takers that feels like it's entitled to "stuff" as Bill O'Reilly put it. I contribute every paycheck to the tune of over 30% and I just happen to prefer that my money be spent trying to help people rather than support war.
