You're proud NOW???

As inspiring as Tuesday, January 20th was and yes, I do agree that it was great to see the nation come together and yes, I do agree that Obama has this "thing" about him that makes you want to act and get your hands dirty and yes, I do believe that America needs change and that we need to go back to our roots and really move forward in a non-partisan, peace-ful way...HOWEVER....I don't get the comments such as:
"He said things that apply to all Americans. Everyone here should be proud to be an American now."

"I am proud to be an American now, especially after I see Obama move to close GITMO"

"Who wouldn't be proud to be an American now?"

"I can finally stop planning my move to Canada as I feel inspired and proud now to live in American and be an American"

Even our first lady, “For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country, “because it feels like hope is making a comeback.”

Nothing America has done in Michelle Obama’s adult life, which at 44 goes back 26 years to 1982, has made her proud of her country? Nothing? Not winning the Cold War? Not our regular and orderly transitions of power based on the rule of law? Not the fact that we feed and defend the world, not that we lead in science and technology research. Not the fact that she and her husband were able to go to Ivy League schools before embarking on extremely lucrative careers? Not the fact that we help out in disasters wherever they strike in the world? Nothing has made Michelle Obama proud of her country in her entire adult life?

I mean....REALLY? I would completely agree that Bush had a HORRIBLE final term and I don't envy his position in that the LARGEST terrorist attack on our nation happened during his term. The man is human, he made mistakes and yes....I believe he needs some help in public speaking, but has America really WAITED for one person to be in front to inspire, heal, protect, motivate and make you PROUD? really? I would like to say those are all things we could choose to be on a daily basis?

Some of you really don't know how GOOD we have it, and I mean good. Maybe I have had experiences outside of the U.S. that have made me proud all along. Such as a 3 year stint in Saudi-Arabia when I was younger. For me, it was fine, I was a child and my rights were pretty normal (other than I almost got my bible taken away at customs when we were moving into the country, which would NEVER happen in the USA as we give people freedom of religion) But if you ask my mother about those 3 years...she couldn't drive, she couldn't go outside the small U.S. compound we lived in without the full Arab garb on, she couldn't go to a meal with my father and enjoy it WITH him as men and women were often separated. And had we lived there just a few years later, my older sister and I at the age of 16 would had to of lived like this. Oh, and then there was the time that a young Arab kid hit my sister...and I mean hit across the face...when my Dad (remember he is a Marine) went to confront the kid and his father. The father said she probably deserved it. My Dad then hit the kid that hit my sister...and well, for a few weeks waited to see if we were deported. The church we started on our US compound...we had to have people watch for locals because if we were turned into the government, it was out of the country we went.

Then there was the year I lived in Japan. Yes, I had it pretty decent there as I was working for Disney, but as a woman in that country...absolutely NO RESPECT.

I don't wait for a President, a US Senator, a Governor to make me proud. That is a choice I make everyday because I am thankful and proud to have been born in a FREE country. I know some of you will argue that I am caucasion and so I have not had to fight like an African-American or any other minority in our country. And I would agree with you. I have not, nor do I think the treatment of them in history was right. I do think we have come a long way in that especially since thinking about MLK day this past Monday. There was a man who was proud! He stood up and fought for equal rights for all people and he chose to be proud and never stopped believing this could happen for the US. The key is he chose this...he didn't stop and feel sorry for himself. He chose to be proud and believe.

It just seems weird that some of you NOW are proud...as I watch in anticipation of the first 100 days and what Obama will change and do, I don't sit and wait to be proud because of HIS actions, I will continue to stand up for this great nation and ALL that it has to offer me because our Consitution says...."WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." I don't think it says...Our president of the United States, in order to form.....

For those of you planning moves to Canada....go, get out, because when times get tough for our nation, it's people like you that are tearing it down.