American Pride: What Happened to Pride in the "Greatest Country"?

As I look back on American history, I realized that we have changed so much in the past couple of years, and sometimes not always for the good. The pride that Americans stood for, and what they stood for is slowly diminishing. This is seen every day by the way people act, dress and how the government handles itself. Being American was always about standing up for what you believed in and fighting to do the right thing no matter what. Here are a couple reasons why I am not proud to be a member of "the greatest country in the world."

The new type of laws that protect everyone. When people can sue others for something that is their fault, that is just wrong. Every year the Stella awards give out the grand honor to the dumbest case. This is named after Stella Liebeck who sued McDonald's because she spilled the coffee she bought there on herself causing burns. This is not American Pride. Americans suck it up and deal with the pain. She received money on a mistake and this is not right.

The new type of styles that Americans are into

Wearing black can be fashionable, but when all you wear is black, it is just creepy. Gothic people, or self-proclaimed emos (standing for emotional) represent, and are sometimes even proud of the way they act. Dressing in black and worshiping the devil, is not American doesn't "In God We Trust" stand for anything. The extreme ones also vent their anger by cutting themselves. This is NOT normal. Americans have been known to stick it out, and get going when the going got tough and we do not harm ourselves. The American dream is trying to better yourself and others, and causing self pain is the easy way out, and that is not American.

How unreliable people are

Back in the day, a man's word and a tight, firm handshake was all you needed and you knew it was someone you could trust. But today it is not like that. People are taking advantage of others everyday, by stealing, conning, and ripping off people give these people their trust. These people are not true Americans. Inflating gas prices, and even larger profits for the oil companies is an example of this. Americans stick to their word, even if they are losing something to help another. How these people can live with themselves after they steal money from honest hard-working Americans, in beyond me.

The state of the economy

Every day, people are getting laid off, and jobs are sent over seas, because it is cheaper and sometimes more efficient. What happened to the pride Americans had in their products and work. Today everything is unreliable, from the stock market, to job security, to the quality of a product. People used to support American made products, but now people are more worried about saving a buck. This also goes both ways, showing that Americans don't give it all they have to what they make. This is also not American. Americans put everything they have into what they make, and real Americans give loyalty to well made American products because they know they are helping someone like themselves out. They want everyone to be the best they can, and for the country to be the best it can. The late John F. Kennedy puts it best, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country." For these reasons I am not proud to be an American, but if given the choice to leave, I would never even think twice about it. This is where I was born, and raised, and this is where they will put me in the ground, under the greatest soil in the world.