Maybe the question should be about embarrassment, rather than pride. I still love the concept of American pride, but I have become so very embarrassed to be an American since the tRump Regime came to power.
Pride is a complicated sentiment. We take pride in our kids - one, because they are our offspring, two, their successes redound to us. We project our desires onto them. We take pride in our work — we feed our families, put our children through school, serve a greater purpose. We take pride in our communities when they rally in the face of unimaginable disaster or when the home team shows grit and determination.
But what does it take to have pride in a nation? A nation is its history, and its people, and its leaders. I am certainly not proud of our leaders. In fact, I’m ashamed of them. I’m not proud of half the voting public who gave us these leaders. Our history is darkened by the original sin of slavery and racism and the horrors visited upon native people. And, while tempted, like you, to take pride in our freedom to express ourselves and speak truth to power, I’m quickly reminded of the shameful deal cut by Paramount, throwing its flagship news program under the bus.
But I still fly the flag from my stoop every day. Why? Because I will not yield to the MAGA world view embraced by cruel, ignorant, racist, haters who cheer the kidnapping of immigrants by masked security forces, who ignore the climate and fiscal threats we are leaving to the next generation, who shrug at our most vulnerable while enriching our most fortunate.
So, I fly that flag in sorrow, not pride. I fly it in defiance of those who want to claim it as an emblem of their own dystopia. I fly it out of faith that this era will end. Pride? A nation must earn it.
I'm not proud that we provide weapons to a military that are using them for a genocide with little protest from Biden or Trump. I'm not proud that we have turned our back on Ukraine. I'm not proud that our country now cuddles up with oligarchs and punishes our neighbors and allies with tariffs and threats. I'm not proud that our government takes health care from the less fortunate and food from the mouths of children. I'm not proud that we defund science and defund clean energy while caving to the mega donors from big oil. I could go on until lunch time but I have to get to work. Bottom line I love my country but hate almost everything that Trump/MAGA represents.
This son of German immigrants is a proud first-gen American who continues to hope our republic's strengths will survive the severe stress tests under way -- though majorities on the Supreme Court and in Congress chip away at my confidence again and again.
Alarmingly, our foundation is being shaken as we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
For my AMA nominee, I'd value your thoughts on a major shortcoming, blind spot or missed opprtunity of the White House press corps currently.
Have you listened to Jelly Roll? He’s lived hard and fallen often, but in the wreckage, he found beauty. His lyrics hit deep: raw, honest, and unmistakably human.
No, I am NOT proud to be American right now. So much has changed from when I was in junior high and high school, graduating in 1967. We learned then how supreme the Supreme Court was. We learned that the three branches of federal government worked to balance and protect our democracy. We learned to donate to food pantries without worrying about where the recipients came from or were
“legal” or not. From sea to shining sea didn’t bring to mind visions of the floating “plastic soup” out there somewhere.
I AM proud to participate in standouts, protests and marches with like minded people to bring America closer to a world class neighbor and tourist destination, standing for human rights and dignity instead of a laughing stock.
I don’t have a question but I do have a comment regarding the July 7 Morning Read-In. You referred to a post that contained a series of charts in Bruce Mehlman’s Substack. (Non-subscribers can find this substack by searching for BruceMehlman and then find the post published on July 6 called “Six Chart Sunday - On the Bright Side” It’s not behind a paywall.)
After summarizing the post you wrote “ Republicans have a story to sell. Democrats, so far, do not. “
1. The chart on the fall in violent crime displays data for 2021 - 2024, years when Biden was president. This is a good story for the democrats.
2. The chart about blue collar pay is taken from a White House press release. I’m disappointed that you and Bruce asked your readers to take this information at face value considering the volumes of misinformation produced by this administration. There are several problems with this chart.
(a) An increase in average hourly earnings doesn't necessarily imply workers are making more money. Suppose half the workers at a company make $8.00/hr and the other half makes $12.00. The average hourly pay is $10.00. If the workers making $8.00/hr are fired then the average hourly pay is $12.00/hr, for an increase of 20%.
(b) Scott Bessent is cherry picking data by only showing data for the 1st year of an administration. Reagan, Bush 43, and Obama had recessions in their 1st year due to economic problems that began in the previous administration. Biden was dealing with a Covid-impacted economy in his 1st year. Trump inherited a good economy from Obama and Biden.
(c) I used Google’s Gemini to obtain the BLS salary numbers for production and nonsupervisory workers and I could not reproduce an increase of 1.7% for 2025. Instead, I calculated 0.7%.
I can appreciate your take, but pride(vain glory) IS a sin.
And after 8 years of listening to people complain about Trump (including myself!) and very little being done to actually stop him, I can’t help but wonder if your faith in America is misplaced.
I am proud to be protesting at this stage my life. I have lost part of my childhood and the pride I had being an American…..perhaps I relied on the wisdom of the old TV westerns and believed the good guys, with virtue and sense of justice, would always win in the end. The bad guys are in charge now….I just posted my article on this topic-loving America, protesting and painting the town blue.
Maybe the question should be about embarrassment, rather than pride. I still love the concept of American pride, but I have become so very embarrassed to be an American since the tRump Regime came to power.
Pride is a complicated sentiment. We take pride in our kids - one, because they are our offspring, two, their successes redound to us. We project our desires onto them. We take pride in our work — we feed our families, put our children through school, serve a greater purpose. We take pride in our communities when they rally in the face of unimaginable disaster or when the home team shows grit and determination.
But what does it take to have pride in a nation? A nation is its history, and its people, and its leaders. I am certainly not proud of our leaders. In fact, I’m ashamed of them. I’m not proud of half the voting public who gave us these leaders. Our history is darkened by the original sin of slavery and racism and the horrors visited upon native people. And, while tempted, like you, to take pride in our freedom to express ourselves and speak truth to power, I’m quickly reminded of the shameful deal cut by Paramount, throwing its flagship news program under the bus.
But I still fly the flag from my stoop every day. Why? Because I will not yield to the MAGA world view embraced by cruel, ignorant, racist, haters who cheer the kidnapping of immigrants by masked security forces, who ignore the climate and fiscal threats we are leaving to the next generation, who shrug at our most vulnerable while enriching our most fortunate.
So, I fly that flag in sorrow, not pride. I fly it in defiance of those who want to claim it as an emblem of their own dystopia. I fly it out of faith that this era will end. Pride? A nation must earn it.
What a powerful and persuasive argument, my friend. Honored to read it at Convulsions … but the old editor in me says you got a column here, Jim.
I am a proud American. Doesn’t matter who is power. Great country(not perfect).
well put, Pete
I'm not proud that we provide weapons to a military that are using them for a genocide with little protest from Biden or Trump. I'm not proud that we have turned our back on Ukraine. I'm not proud that our country now cuddles up with oligarchs and punishes our neighbors and allies with tariffs and threats. I'm not proud that our government takes health care from the less fortunate and food from the mouths of children. I'm not proud that we defund science and defund clean energy while caving to the mega donors from big oil. I could go on until lunch time but I have to get to work. Bottom line I love my country but hate almost everything that Trump/MAGA represents.
You’ve got a column there, Mike.
This son of German immigrants is a proud first-gen American who continues to hope our republic's strengths will survive the severe stress tests under way -- though majorities on the Supreme Court and in Congress chip away at my confidence again and again.
Alarmingly, our foundation is being shaken as we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
For my AMA nominee, I'd value your thoughts on a major shortcoming, blind spot or missed opprtunity of the White House press corps currently.
Have you listened to Jelly Roll? He’s lived hard and fallen often, but in the wreckage, he found beauty. His lyrics hit deep: raw, honest, and unmistakably human.
I haven’t gotten into him at all. Maybe i need to?
I Am Not Okay is a duet with Lainey Wilson.
i have heard that. pretty. powerful. wish i knew enough to warrant a My Reply :)
You might start with these:
Need a Favor
Save Me
I Am Not Okay
I remain to be an America, but ashamed and angry at our political leaders in both parties.
Proud, but not "my country right or wrong" proud. I'm patriotic, but not nationalistic.
No. For the first time in my life I am ashamed of this country. If I could I would leave.
No, I am NOT proud to be American right now. So much has changed from when I was in junior high and high school, graduating in 1967. We learned then how supreme the Supreme Court was. We learned that the three branches of federal government worked to balance and protect our democracy. We learned to donate to food pantries without worrying about where the recipients came from or were
“legal” or not. From sea to shining sea didn’t bring to mind visions of the floating “plastic soup” out there somewhere.
I AM proud to participate in standouts, protests and marches with like minded people to bring America closer to a world class neighbor and tourist destination, standing for human rights and dignity instead of a laughing stock.
Am I proud to be an American? Not anymore. I am more ashamed and, for the first time this week, I am afraid to be one.
I don’t have a question but I do have a comment regarding the July 7 Morning Read-In. You referred to a post that contained a series of charts in Bruce Mehlman’s Substack. (Non-subscribers can find this substack by searching for BruceMehlman and then find the post published on July 6 called “Six Chart Sunday - On the Bright Side” It’s not behind a paywall.)
After summarizing the post you wrote “ Republicans have a story to sell. Democrats, so far, do not. “
1. The chart on the fall in violent crime displays data for 2021 - 2024, years when Biden was president. This is a good story for the democrats.
2. The chart about blue collar pay is taken from a White House press release. I’m disappointed that you and Bruce asked your readers to take this information at face value considering the volumes of misinformation produced by this administration. There are several problems with this chart.
(a) An increase in average hourly earnings doesn't necessarily imply workers are making more money. Suppose half the workers at a company make $8.00/hr and the other half makes $12.00. The average hourly pay is $10.00. If the workers making $8.00/hr are fired then the average hourly pay is $12.00/hr, for an increase of 20%.
(b) Scott Bessent is cherry picking data by only showing data for the 1st year of an administration. Reagan, Bush 43, and Obama had recessions in their 1st year due to economic problems that began in the previous administration. Biden was dealing with a Covid-impacted economy in his 1st year. Trump inherited a good economy from Obama and Biden.
(c) I used Google’s Gemini to obtain the BLS salary numbers for production and nonsupervisory workers and I could not reproduce an increase of 1.7% for 2025. Instead, I calculated 0.7%.
Thanks for this Carl
I can appreciate your take, but pride(vain glory) IS a sin.
And after 8 years of listening to people complain about Trump (including myself!) and very little being done to actually stop him, I can’t help but wonder if your faith in America is misplaced.
I am proud to be protesting at this stage my life. I have lost part of my childhood and the pride I had being an American…..perhaps I relied on the wisdom of the old TV westerns and believed the good guys, with virtue and sense of justice, would always win in the end. The bad guys are in charge now….I just posted my article on this topic-loving America, protesting and painting the town blue.
Ashamed ☹️
Is there anyone doing a page by page analysis of project 2025, connecting it to Trumps activities and putting it on social media?