After eight years, its a funny thing being proud of your country again

[Joe the Revelator]

After being conditioned for the last eight years that supporting the President was akin to facism, and watching the Republican party take over simple symbols of our national identity like the American Flag, and the term "patriotic", I'm finding it hard today to slip back into what should be an easy posture of pride.

Let me actually rephrase that. I am BURSTING with pride in this country today. I am proud of my own Americanism. What I am struggling with is way to display that pride either through words or symbols. I know, with time, democrats, and better yet Americans, will be able to reclaim Patriotism, the flag and support of the President in a way that serves all of America. I know that is the cornerstone of President Obama's "red state,blue state" speech. Its just that after so many years of being called unpatriotic, and feeling uneasy around flag cloaked fanatics, its tough to take the first step.

I guess what I'm saying, that after we grab those labels and symbols and return them to America as a whole, we should never let them be stolen from us. No matter who the President is.

[Bicoastal]

1. When all is said and done this country is pretty awesome.

:patriot:

[Joe the Revelator]

2. It sure is, it just had a really shady past eight years.

[DesertFlower]

3. i am proud of my country again.

i haven't been able to say that in a long time.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[Joe the Revelator]

6. You apparently didn't grasp what I'm saying

By opposing what the actions of the last Government, I, along with Millions of others were made to feel like we were unpatriotic assholes. If you want to get into a semantics argument over being proud of "country" or the "government" that represents the country, then so be it.

[rzemanfl]

5. It is going to take me a while to adjust to "fucking government'

being two separate and distinct words again.

[Joe the Revelator]

8. Just think about not having to cringe during the state of the union

[liberalmuse]

7. The first day in almost 8 years...

that I woke up feeling hope, actually feeling good, was the day after Obama gave his speech at the Democratic convention. I felt that the earth moved the night before. Something had changed. Good would triumph. It was hard keeping the faith after 8 years of colossal disappointments, but that was the first day I sensed things had changed for the better.

[Joe the Revelator]

9. I mentioned yesterday that last night was the first time in eight years I would sleep soundly.

That statement did not come with a lot of hyperbole.

[MassLiberal]

10. My kids have only ever known Bush as president

and I keep telling them, "Wait'll you see what a good president is like -- it's completely different." They don't know what to expect, or really, how to feel patriotic, which is kinda sad.

[TheKentuckian]

11. It was awesome to be able to just lay down and sleep

and I was a waterworks when I woke to celebrations around the world and once again knowing that America can inspire and give people something to hope for.

If a mixed kid with "a funny sounding name" inherited from a foreign absentee father, ta kid hat grew up on food stamps can grow up to be President of The United States of America then there is something special about this country.