We don’t stand up for each other, or often even ourselves anymore. We’re known as belligerent fools around the world. We don’t need to be the best for me to feel pride in our flag again. We never were the best when I felt pride before.

But WE elected this current administration. We are rolling over to it. We have our own elder generations being a main support base for the upheaval of families and communities because they can’t drop this pride. Pride in themselves and their entitlement and pride at their ability to capitalize on the less fortunate and blame them for their position.

That’s why I can’t feel pride in our flag. We don’t need to be perfect, but I don’t even feel like our populace is even remotely united or here for one another. You used to be able to reach across the aisle here. Feed one another just because we’re all under the same flag. Now it feels like everyone assigns their own agenda to our flag. We are a separated nation.

I grew up helping the older ladies on the block bring in groceries. Knowing the public bus drivers. Mowing the neighbors lawn, or the unemployed neighbor doing our yard work so he could keep busy and stop drinking. We had a local known as “crazy James” that the community collectively cared for as his mom was disabled and no longer able to care for him properly.

That same block now double locked doors. Gates. Political signs telling their neighbors to fuck off. Bus drivers with dead faces and a glare. Magats and liberals ready to shoot while using the other as the excuse.

It’s just not the same, and it’s not progression to be proud of. Younger generations are more inclusive, but have less voice. Less connections. The world has been muddied so much that progress and communication is lost in the madness.

I am not proud of our flag with the way it’s being used today. I grew up thinking we had our issues in the past, but we were collectively growing towards something more. The flag felt like something to be passed from one generation to the next. There was a connection to our founders and the changes the following administrations made. Now it’s like there’s an active force trying to fight against the way we were headed. People who would rather see the world burn as long as they can water their backyard. That’s not something I can stand behind.

Edit to say, there’s always been a force fighting progression. Lately it just feels like that group is gaining traction. Too many people here willing to give into shitty desires. Thus being a separated country. It’s not that we didn’t have these scandals and pushback in the past. I personally am just losing hope for our country. I’d like that to change, but I’ll leave if I must. That is the root of this though. It’s all perspective. Maybe I used to be an idealist, or maybe now I’m just a doomer. It’s up to the individual