Even from my ivory tower west coast elitist viewpoint I can see that this is still the greatest country in the world and I am extraordinarily proud of it for the millions of thoughtful, intelligent, warm, loving people it contains.

I am proud of it because the ideals of this nation, laid down by our founding fathers, have revolutionized the world and brought freedom to millions.

I am proud of it for its great scientific thinkers, men and women who have lit the way for untold advances in every field of agriculture, science and medicine and I am proud of the universities and companies for whom they work.

I am proud of it for its national parks and monuments. If you haven't driven this beautiful land of ours, do it now while gas is still cheap.

I love baseball, basketball and football, all invented here. I love flying, telephones, refrigerators, coffee pots, Lock Stitch Sewing mach... Heck, I love everything on this list: <link>

I am proud of it for my family and my friends, some right wing, some left wing, all of them indisputably American. They might not all agree with me, but so what? Who cares?

And that is the beauty of this country. I can think whatever I want. I can be proud of whatever I want. I don't have to be proud of our terrifying war machine (support our troops!) or the lunatics in charge of it (right now) or the despicable stuff that happened, but I can be proud of our ability to self-correct and to see the light and learn. We are a nation that despises a dictator.

And so I love this country and am proud to be an American for my own reasons and, frankly, who are they to define my patriotism? Screw 'em! This is America!

Hmm... an interesting list of American inventions you linked to. But when I think of the most notable invention of 1945, the microwave oven doesn't immediately come to mind. [More of a wry observation than an editorial comment.]

pwoxby: Cute. What's your point?

I love my country too...its my HOME, its where I am a fit, like a glove, its the only place I belong...and if anybody invades it, I will fight them to the death, and if anyone tries to turn it into a religious state, the same goes for that.

I am MUCH more than just proud of what we have contributed to humanity, I defend our contributions, I believe, as my Grandfather taught me, that even as a small life person, I have a job to do as a citizen to speak my mind, to contribute, to help solve problems.

But no true patriot goes, "My country right or wrong" because if we are wrong, in the end, we will fall, collapse, and all the blustering and sloganeering and intimidation in the world will not save us.

Bush's adventure in Iraq is a case in point.

Additionally, whether we all realize it or not, we are becoming citizens of the world because of the global economy; this expansion of forms of economic organization is nothing new; even in Elizabeth I of England's time, when capitalism first was developing and markets were being organized, there were many groups brought together, and some were deeply offended, some even fought back, like the Irish.

Under these circumstances, it is not enough to be a local patriot; one really has to come to grips with the actual content of American contributions and the many contributions of other civilizations and countries and the actual conditions in the world...or believe me, the collapse will the thundering and all will hurt.

candoxx: How is Iraq "Bush's adventure?" The Iraq War Resolution of 2002 passed both houses of Congress, and has been funded by bills that have passed Congress. Notably, all the 2006 mid-term election clamoring by Democratic candidates for "getting out of Iraq" has amounted to nothing, as those candidates, once elected, have made no show of halting funding or doing anything else meaningful toward ending the war.

Iraq is America's "adventure," for better or worse.

Dave in VA:

candoxx: How is Iraq "Bush's adventure?" The Iraq War Resolution of 2002 passed both houses of Congress, and has been funded by bills that have passed Congress. Notably, all the 2006 mid-term election clamoring by Democratic candidates for "getting out of Iraq" has amounted to nothing, as those candidates, once elected, have made no show of halting funding or doing anything else meaningful toward ending the war.

Iraq is America's "adventure," for better or worse.

Our troops are already there, the democrats are not in the White House so they have no power to withdraw the troops, whilst we disagree with the war we cannot abandon them in Iraq and Afghanistan, so yes they will support funding. Your argument is weak and disingenuous. Come November you will see action when the republicans will be booted out of office and withdrawal of the troops commence.

Dave, I think pwoxby was referring to the.....

Kaaaa-BOOOOOOOM invention created by us and "given" to the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945

(I'm not injecting my opinion of this either, just continuing the wry-ness)