Tannishblog

Try as I might, I can’t get excited about Independence Day anymore. While I enjoy fireworks as much as anyone, I cannot buy into wrapping myself in stars-and-stripes, as so many will this week.

Label me unpatriotic. You’re probably right; I’ve never been one to toot the horn of nationalism. I’m less inclined these days. Patriotism, nationalism, the whole concept that America has all the answers and the world should just shut up and follow our lead, is arrogant. It is quintessential Ugly-American-ism, and it’s foolish. There are a lot of good ideas emanating from outside our borders that, if adopted, could make American life – dare I say – richer.

It used to be that America was the place to where the best-and-brightest of Europeans came to follow their intellectual dreams. We used to welcome them because we knew they would make us stronger. As a nation of immigrants, we understood them. Now, we shun the incoming hoards. Most are no longer from Europe, like our forefathers, and we and our newcomers have a harder time assimilating. Second- and third-generation Americans are rude to them, and they in turn recoil from our haughtiness, our sense of superiority. Is it any wonder that they send their money, their intellectual assets, and their loyalties back home?

Yes – America does have much to offer the immigrant, and many stay here. But our attitude of superiority is perhaps over-inflated, a bit over-the-top. America, and Americans could use a little humbling. To continue to act as if the old U S of A is somehow superior to the rest of humanity is outrageous. Is it any wonder the rest of the world scoffs at our hubris? We’re being childish.

While I’m happy to live in America, who’s to say I wouldn’t be happy to live someplace else? Rabid patriots would counter with examples of non-democratic, arguably backward nations in which I could have been born. But culture is learned; if your parents are okay with less of what we view as personal freedom, most likely you would adopt the same views. After all, one cannot lose what one never had. The Iraqis don’t seem to want our values, for example.

So on this Fourth of July, why don’t we remember our modest roots, dispense with the attitude, and relax. America has a lot to offer; it’s a great place to live. Remember, too, we are not the World’s Best at Everything. No nation can claim such a ridiculous title. True greatness lies in the acceptance of what we haven’t yet achieved. To be truly outstanding, we should understand how we can better ourselves and our place in global society. We’ve got things to offer, we’ve got things to learn – as everyone else does. If our nation can adopt a reserved stance with respect to other nations and peoples, then perhaps we could earn back the greatness we once owned.

Then we can take the Blues from the Red-White-and-Blue.