Because I still believe in America's potential to become a country that's truly free of injustice and discrimination. Regardless that the people in the government may not be the best, that the economy is kind of awful right now, that states like my own home state of North Carolina still refuse to let people marry who they like. We're still a young country comparatively speaking (China was established 221 BC, England 927 AD...and the current US Constitution was adopted in 1788 and it was the first of it's kind!)
My APUSH teacher asked my class (which only has 6 people in it mind you...) if we would join the military if there was a war. I was surprised that I was the only one that said yes. They all said they would be too afraid, that they're too lazy, they don't care, it's not their problem, why should they care. Why should they care? It made me angry to say the least. You can overcome fear if you try hard enough. Being lazy is no excuse for not caring. It's your country you're fighting for, your freedom. Scores of men and women have fought and still fight for us everyday so that we can sleep at night without having to worry about being killed in the night by air raids or radical riots. How could you not fight for that? For the insurance that in the future, your children will sleep at ease, without a care in the world?
But maybe that's the problem. This generation hasn't had a life changing event yet. No world war, no holocaust. Nothing that infringes on OUR freedoms or beliefs. It's sickening to think that the youth of today have such apathy that even leans towards hatred for their homeland. Anyone (or most) who joins the military today does it for the money and benefits. No one is really willing to die for this country anymore. We've got too much to lose now. We've lost our backbone.
I hear classmates say how much they hate this country for being ignorant, racist, bias, etc, etc. They don't understand that it can't get any better than this. I woke up this morning and flipped a switch and LIGHTS came on. I turned on a faucet and clean, drinkable water came out. I wasn't stoned for leaving the house without my dad with me. I went to my school and was educated for FREE. They complain about everything they wish they had, when they don't even stop to appreciate what they have.
And there are those people who are racist and ignorant. But their ignorance will lead to their downfall. They are unfit to survive in the new global world connected by the internet. They will be rooted out by natural selection. Social Darwinism will have its way and eventually we will be free of prejudice.
I may not be proud of the government as of now or the people that live here but I would fight for my country in an instant, because I know that it can change. It's not about who's in charge. It's about what we stand for, which ultimately is hope. Hope that things can change. Hope for equality. Hope that one day, we will all stand truly united.
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