I do not understand the new trend that is creeping into our society.  There have been hints of it in the “mainstream media”, our schools and workplaces.  Politicians and pundits are doing it.  I call it “Embarrassed Americanism” .

It begins with “well…we Americans have always been a little selfish…” and slowly grows to a full-blown “we Americans should be ashamed of the freedoms we have and apologize to the rest of the world for being a successful democracy”.

BULL!!!!  I refuse to hang my head in shame because I was lucky enough to have been born in a country that MILLIONS of people would literally die to become a citizen of.

The tendency toward pro-Socialist government-run programs is worrisome.  From what I have seen, these programs have little chance of success and a great potential for creating a nation of welfare-dependent, ambition-less mooches.  I do not want the government telling me whether or not I can have a friggin’ root canal.  I do not want the government owning private companies.  Let people fail, make mistakes…without failing you can never truly appreciate your successes.  From failure comes innovation.  Think about it.

I think we NEED to be jealous of other people every once in a while.  As long as they have earned their money legally and ethically, more power to ’em.  It gives me the drive to work harder so that I might achieve my dreams.

Why should I feel it necessary to apologize for being a citizen of the most generous nation in the world?!?!? For each act of “selfishness” and “pomposity”, we give monetary aid, food, clothing, medicine and military assistance tenfold.

From hard times come great communities.  From economic crises come…wait for it…ECOLOGY.  Oh my Goddess, did she really say that?  Yup, she sure did.  I have noticed more people recycling (because you get money for doing it), more people planting vegetable gardens (because home-grown veggies are much cheaper than store-bought ones), more people buying used clothing, cars, and furnishings.  We don’t need politicians to pound the need for environmental consciousness down our throats.  It only makes people resentful.

Lastly, please stop apologizing to the world for our garbage. We can be little piggies, I admit.  However, I can think of at least 5 industrialized nations (to whom we have apologized) that are bigger piggies than we could ever be.

To those who have fallen prey to “Embarrassed Americanism”, who are ashamed of the country in which they live and who begin each day reciting the mantra “I’m sorry I am an American” I say…THIS WAY TO THE GREAT EGRESS…