This American’s Life
I do not feel obligatory patriotism on the 4th of July. I do not feel ashamed of an American heritage that has been equally beneficial and oppressive to different demographics. I do not feel the need to set off a lot of fireworks in someone’s back yard that at any moment could set a house ablaze. Instead, I feel introspective. It is strange that July 4th does for me what January 1st does for so many others.
On this day, I try to think about where I am going with my life and how that measures up to the average American (whatever that may be in my head on a particular year). I also think about where this country is going and why the stereotypes of American greed, arrogance, and privilege need a serious overhaul.
Now, I know many of you are not from the USA, so pardon this little bit of western-centric rambling.
I am where I wanted to be as of this July 4th. That is what I am proud of. I am proud that I live in a place that lets me be happy. I can have a beautiful and intelligent wife, a (almost) always smiling daughter, and the ability to roam across state lines without fear of interrogation or harassment. Not everyone else is so lucky.
I am proud of the flat world that I am a part of that tells me my country of origin only matters because setting up skype calls to Australia is harder than to Mexico.
I am proud of the beliefs about education that the blogosphere has helped to shape. I am proud of the change we are making in the American educational landscape.
I am proud to be an American because of the potential that I have to do good, not because of any of the good that has been done in the past. I just hope that I can live up to this potential.
If not, I will just be one more lazy, ignorant, meat-headed, attention-starved American without the patience to see through anything to fruition. I am not him this 4th of July.
Maybe next year.