I recall tears streaming down my young face while watching Veterans, the quiet heroes of our nation, being honored in a Veteran's Day celebration at my elementary school. These same tears fell once more on our most recent celebration of Veteran's Day, at that same elementary school, where I now proudly teach children from my community.
Something has changed in our country. The unwavering pride to be an American, a feeling that has followed me all the years of my life, doesn't seem as evident in the youth of today. It's as though we have forgotten what it took for us to become the greatest country in the world. There was no magic or luck involved; this wonderful nation was built on the backs of our ancestors. Their blood runs deep in battle grounds across our nation and the world, reminding us that the freedoms we enjoy today definitely were not free.
It's easy to speculate about why our children fail to show pride in their country. Maybe we argue that they are spoiled, ungrateful, or feel entitled. Although this may be true in some situations, a larger issue tends to stand out in my mind. The political divide in our country is the most extreme it has ever been and we are allowing the feelings and ideas of politicians to divide us as a people as well. We become so wrapped up in which party is doing what that we forget the young eyes and ears who are watching and listening. They are learning from us that division among Americans is the route we take to better our country. It's really no wonder that the youngest generation of Americans does not understand why my heart swells with pride when I hear the National Anthem of our country.
We are all human and inevitably fall short of perfection each and every day. None of us have all of the answers to solve the problems of our nation. What we do have is the ability to love one another and support one another in endeavors to better our nation. If anyone, regardless of their station or political affiliation, makes a successful maneuver to better our country or plans to do so, we should support them. We should not scowl at them because they have made statements we disagree with in the past or roll our eyes because their political affiliation differs from our own. We should support the ideas that have genuine value for our country because the hope we have in our nation should overshadow our petty differences. To turn a blind eye to the good things that happen and only focus on what we disagree with does not show maturity.
Regardless of how you feel about Washington politics today, it's important that we all remember how we got here. Sacrifices made by the Veterans of our great nation are the foundation we stand on each day as Americans. We must honor our Veterans by appreciating the freedoms they fought and died to grant us. I am definitely proud to be an American and you couldn't keep me from standing to pledge my allegiance to the flag and country that have offered me life in the best nation in the world!
