I am proud to be an American. The sense of pride in my country is so strong because it started at such a young age.
(Young children are often dressed in patriotic colors for school theme days, the Forth of July, and parties)
In preschool, I remember saying the pledge of allegiance every day. Whoever said the pledge the ‘best’ would get the coveted American Flag pin and the title of ‘Proud American.’ At the time, the words we said were mainly just words we had been taught to recite each morning. However, as time progressed and I began to learn more about the history of America, the seemingly simple words, “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” began to mean something more significant.
Being an “American” is so much more than simply being born in America. Americans are blessed to live in the land of the free because of the brave men and women who have fought to protect our country. Americans understand that the freedom we have was not truly free, it came at a high cost of American lives. As I have grown up and seen the way of life in other countries on the news or in the paper, I am constantly reminded of how blessed I am to be an American. I can worship freely, I can be educated, I can speak my mind, I can participate in the political process, and so much more. So many of the articles in our Constitution, specifically in our Bill of Rights, are sometimes taken for granted. In so many other places, people (especially women) are not able to experience these things. I simply cannot even imagine what it would be like not to have the basic rights we have today. As a true American, I believe that it is necessary to continue to teach United States history so that everyone can appreciate our rights that have been secured over the decades.
Because of my knowledge of past events, I have greater appreciation of my freedom as an American. I vow to be loyal to my country until the day I die. I truly am proud to call myself an American.