Proud to Be an American

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“Proud to be an American,” is a refrain line in a popular song in American called God Bless the USA. I don’t like that song, not because it’s an awful song, but because it’s been co-opted by right wing politicians, especially the campaign of Donald Trump, whose slogan was “Make America Great Again,” just like it was in the 50’s when white men ruled, and women and minorities were not allowed in positions of leadership. It is the kind of song the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and other Trump supporters really, really like. But today, I feel proud to be an American. Two weeks ago, an angry mob of those disgruntled Trump supporters attacked our capitol and tried to take down our government, encouraged and supported by President Donald Trump. Today, with a positive message diametrically opposed to the message of Donald Trump, Joe Biden was sworn in as our new President on the steps of the capitol that angry mob tried to take down. I have a new hero now. Her name is Amanda Gorman, she’s the national Poet Laureate of our country now and she gave a stirring recitation of her poem “The Hill We Climb”. She’s only 22 years old. And in a true spirit of inclusiveness, the program also included an aging white, southern man, Garth Brooks, with his A Capella rendition of “Amazing Grace”. As a fellow Southerner I particularly enjoyed his delivery of the line “I once wuz lost’. It takes all kinds to truly make America great.