What makes you proud to be a member of your nationality or religion?

Well, simply put I am a Mexican American , which in some areas that is taboo, even to other latins in America itself. WHY ? Heck I dont know but i know i am proud of being what I am. I am Bi-lingual, dont need to tan, dont wrinkle easily, and I Love GOD and all he stands for. I lived in New York for about 4 months and then moved back too Kansas just 3 weeks prior to 911. I feel God Blessed me with that decision, ( to move home).I lived close to the towers and was at the towers by 8:30 a.m. every morning ...just because. I noticed that as I walked the streets looking for a job, no one was willing to hire me. And as I began seeing other hispanics I noticed all the DIFFERENT hispanic race there was, and NONE Mexican American, all of the Mexicans were sitting on the curb panhandling, and being put down by other LATINS...I was so confused by it all, I guess ... I thought...well I thought kansas was bad...but ...I clicked my heels and came back home where I could look straight ahead and watch the sun set and rise..instead of having to look up past the skyscrapers just to catch a glimps of the gorgeous sun.A place where people value others as being of blood and bone and skin, and not because of color. Where you can walk by them and say *hi* or Good morning* and where most people hold a door for the one coming in behind them... *sigh* . Yes, toto we're home.

I posted a question asking what other's thought of Americans simply because I am American and I don't get the chance to hear veiws and outlooks on our nation from other countries. I was simply curious as to what people were saying about us. I am proud of my country and I am proud to be an American. I feel like I am lucky because I don't live under tight restricted rule, I can say or do whatever I want as long as I don't hurt anyone, I am free to express my thoughts and ideas without being arrested, I can go to the grocery store whenever I want, I can assist in changing laws that I think are unfair, I am free and that's what I love about being an American. The answers I got when I asked "What are your veiws on Americans," were a little disturbing. I think some of the things people were saying were true. There are a lot of areas our country can improve, don't get me wrong. But at the same time shouldn't I be knowledable about the things going on in my country? Shouldn't I be in the fight to strive for improvment? I am not anti-American or anti-any religion or nationality. I wish people could veiw the world as a whole instead of seperate entities. We are all brothers and sisters of the same species. When one is down and out we should all be down and out. That's how I as an American view the world. And that's why I was curious about what other's thought about Americans. I couldn't necessarily ask, "Hey Americans, how do you veiw yourselves?" without getting a biased answer. But I just may ask that so I can compare it to my last question. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure I was clear on why I had asked that question. In general, if you aren't happy with your country or religion then change it or do what you can to improve it. Excellent question by the way!

I just wanted to add that I did ask Americans what they thought of their country. You might want to check out the responses. So far they are a little unnerving.

I am mexican, and i am so proud of my nationality..

(i will speak about the nationality, since i'm not very religious person).

What i like the most of being mexican .. oh, there are so many things that i don't know where to start.

First i love the family ties we used to have, there is this kind of brotherhood betwen parents, brothers, sisters, but not only that, we keep that kind of brotherhood with the aunts, cousins, grandparents, and this becomes a huge big family and you can't imagine how strong can make you feel having this kind of background, there is no way for you to feel alone or unprotected, cause there will always be someone of them who you know will be there behind you whenever you need suppport.

Second, i love food, i enjoy my kind of food so much, i am the kind of person who still prepares food at home, and try to make it as close as my grandmother did, and my mother did; i like it so much that i doubt that i would be happy in any other place in the world.

I love my country, all of the places i have visited in my country have great things to see, to know, to enjoy. I have been to Michoacan, where you can see this forest landscape wich is great to the view, and there is such a clean air that you enjoy even breathing, there are lots of rivers, and fountains in Uruapan, a great waterfall, the PAricutin volcano. I love the beaches and the joyfull people of Veracruz, i like the colonial citties of Queretaro, Guanajuato, San Miguel, etc. And finally i enjoy living in a big and growing citty of MOnterrey.

I don't remember something else rigth now, and i have to go, but i am really proud of my country, of our people, of our history, and plan to remain a big fan of it.

I think that nationalism just comes naturally with people.

Personally, I'm not so much proud of being an American as I am being a New Yorker and I'm proud of THAT because I just so happen to think it's an awesome place to live and because of that, I feel that NY is a bit elite and such. It also helps that people think NY is even better than I think it is (quite frankly, as great as it is, it's overated) and when they react like "OMG UR FROM NY THATS SO COOL!" I can't help but smirk and realize that it is kind of awesome.

Like most Americans, I simply take "being American" for granted most of the time. Every now and then, though, I'll read something that makes me swell up with pride. Here's one of those things:

On Wednesday, March 1, 2006, at a hearing on the proposed Constitutional Amendment to prohibit gay marriage, Jamie Raskin, professor of law at American University, was requested to testify.

At the end of his testimony, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs said: "Mr. Raskin, my Bible says marriage is only between a man and a woman. What do you have to say about that?"

Raskin replied: "Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."

The room erupted into applause.

Pride is not an asset in my religion. I am however confident in our future. I just read "A War Prayer", by M. Twain, and I think as long as we are free to question ourselves, and able to hear the criticisms of others, I'll enjoy being American.

I am proud of my spiritual heritage as a Jehovah's Witness. While many claim to look to the bible's examples of faith, my religion works continually to teach and build appreciation for every detail of those bible accounts and help me to apply it to my life and my ministry.

I also have the heritage of my modern brothers and sisters, from the Witnesses in Nazi Germany who CHOSE to remain in concentration camps rather than compromise their neutrality to the Russians who similarly and voluntarily endured Siberian gulags. I can meditate on my brothers the Tutsi and Hutu Jehovah's Witnesses in Africa who risked their own lives to save their tribal "enemies" when so-called 'Christians' around them joined in the genocide.

I can look to thousands of traveling overseers, missionaries, and branch volunteers who are all volunteering their energies and time to teach the truth; even Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body have maintained a vow of poverty for decades and none is benefitting materially from our religion. At three meetings a week, I can look to the families with smiles on their faces and bibles in their hands, working to strengthen themselves against this world's worst temptations and discouragements.

Jehovah's Witnesses truly represent the only true worship on earth at this time. I'm very proud to be associated with them.

nicely some issues they stand for may be partly, i wouldnt say top, btu comprehensible, sure using entire multicultural component the united statesown way of life has been stamped out i believe that, in case you pass united statesa. they have posters on the wall with qoute from the bible and the youngsters be taught the pledge allience, we cant do this or dont do this using entire multicultral crap yet extremely its the MPS fault its occurred, now what i recommend is i think of its advantageous for england to be multicultral yet whilst your going to stay right here then persist with the regulations and combine, yet what do you recommend by way of non brits- and brits of all races- they might recommend the comparable component, what i hate is, i'm no longer finished white my grandfather substitute into born right here for the period of/after the conflict because of the fact hes dad and mom immigrated yet my father and myslef and siblings have been born right here and we are catholics, why might desire to we no longer have the comparable rights as all and sundry else, some MPS make out like absolutely everyone no longer white is slum yet there are people (chavs as you are able to say) who dont help in any respect, blaming all and sundry else for loss of jobs yet to be honest te people who hire immigrants are white, yet sure i might often anticipate absolutely everyone from that - occasion is racist yet i assume that prejudice after interpreting your side, i agree approximately 60% yet i understand from the two perspectives becuase i myslef am a million/2 white and that i see the two perspectives and that i understand what people think of of different individuals yet i anticipate you do understand there are vile people interior of that occasion yet sure i think of labour arent difficult sufficient on the finished immigrant component

I Don't think we have a officail national religion declared, and I'm proud of that and beleive in that idea that your geography shouldnt have anything to do with your religion your realtionship with god is between you and god.

Think of how silly it sounds on a smaller scale.

Im from californa there for I worship that way.

He's from New Yrok he worships his way.

But my way is righter.

I'm proud of religous tollerance, and I'm patriotic and love my Nation for it.

The term national religion sounds like sacralige to me anyways that puts a limit on god.

My idea of god is bigger then that.

i love being canadian because if i get sick or injured, i can go to the hospital(hooray for universal health care!). i can't imagine anything worse than being ill and not being able to afford medical care. i do have to pay crazy high taxes, but its worth it.