Americans who, in shocking numbers, hate America know nothing of the values that made us the kindest, most generous country in history.
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, patriotism and pride in being an American have hit historic lows. Only 58% of citizens are extremely or very proud to be Americans, compared to 90% in 2004. Among those who identify as Democrats, only 36% are extremely or very proud to be Americans, compared to 88% in 2004.
On this Memorial Day, when the nation remembers those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedoms that so many take for granted, it is a tragedy that the United States, a nation that has so advanced the welfare of mankind, is faced with such a stark reality while celebrating its milestone semiquincentennial anniversary.
The true account of America’s contribution to the world and its people is one of magnificent achievement, whether freeing millions from tyranny by force of arms or dramatically improving their standard of living by fostering global economic growth and new, ever-evolving technology.
Perhaps the one thing above all others that most United States citizens do not appreciate is the indispensable and unprecedented role this nation has played in giving hope and a real-life vision of the blessings of true freedom and liberty to countless millions throughout the world. Nothing this country has done in its history can compare to being what Ronald Reagan referred to as “The Shining City on the Hill.”
Befitting the true intent of Memorial Day, to the 20% of citizens who are only a little or not at all proud to be Americans, here is a story based on personal experience. It is emblematic of the strain of honor, bravery, and patriotism that permeates the American character, as well as this nation’s historical commitment to freedom and liberty for all mankind.
As World War II grinds to an end, an American soldier slowly walks through the streets of a once-bustling European city now lying in ruin. The few still-upright walls, their windows and doors blown out, appear as skeletons framed against the blue sky. His senses, honed to a fine razor’s edge to react to the slightest sound or movement, lead the soldier to step carefully around the piles of broken bricks and shattered glass that serve as perfect cover for an ambush or a sniper’s lair.
The soldier hears a faint stirring behind him and, wheeling around, rifle raised in anticipation of the worst, he sees instead a young girl, perhaps five or six years old, slowly walking towards him, her tattered clothes barely able to cover her emaciated frame. Their eyes meet as kindred spirits. In the cauldron that is unconditional war, the psyche of the soldier has been dulled by the weariness of unremitting death and destruction, and that of the child by the never-ending and soul-crushing struggle for survival.
He offers his hand to her, and, while wary, she senses a genuine kindness in his demeanor. They share a chocolate bar, and though unable to communicate, there is an instant bond. She then motions to three other younger children, one perhaps two or three years old, to join them. They slowly and apprehensively come from behind the shattered walls.
Welcoming them into the group, the soldier, smiling gently, gives all his rations to the youngsters. For an hour or so, the children, some for the first time in their brief lives, revel in a sense of security and companionship as they gather around him. They sit and talk to each other as best they can while the young man’s thoughts gradually turn to the memory of his childhood and parents in a small town somewhere in the heartland of America, and of his high school sweetheart and their plans for a family when he returns from the war.
When the time comes for the soldier to depart, the little girl tugs at his sleeve and, as a tear rolls down her cheek, she hugs him while the other children hold on to him, unwilling to let go. Doing what he must, the soldier reluctantly turns away and, without hesitation, returns to his duty and the bloody cauldron of war. Still, he leaves behind children who, for the rest of their lives, will cherish the memory of that day and of the young man from another country who had shown them such genuine friendship and kindness.
The following day, a sniper’s bullet found its mark, and the same young man, so full of hopes and dreams, lay dead beneath the gaunt image of a splintered and shattered oak tree silhouetted by the purple haze of the setting sun.
Yet in a street of a devastated city thousands of miles from his home, the soldier had shared a fleeting moment of peace and tranquility with a new family, those whom he and his fellow Americans on the battlefields and in the factories and farm fields of a free and vibrant land had freed from a life of oppression and given a chance to pursue their dreams as he willingly gave up his.
The country, the United States of America, whence this soldier came, is unique in the history of mankind. When attacked by foreign powers, America never viewed those incidents as a pretext to conquer and permanently subjugate other nations. Rather, in pursuit of self-defense, this country also aspired to the noble calling of freeing others from tyranny and allowing the people of those nations to establish their own freely elected governments.
The basic tenets in the founding of the United States—(1) that all men are endowed by God with certain inalienable rights, and (2) that the individual and not the state is paramount—enabled a society to evolve that fostered love and respect not only of country but of fellow man, regardless of race, ethnicity, or where he might live.
It is this distinctive trait among all global communities that has motivated countless American men and women over the years not only to willingly take up arms to defend a land they cherish but to expend blood and treasure so they and others can live in peace and freedom.
American military cemeteries, with their verdant fields of seemingly endless rows of monuments, crosses, and Stars of David marking the graves of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, dot the globe. The sons and daughters of the United States interred there now reside in the pantheon of the most noble and heroic in the history of mankind.
As the years march inexorably on, memories of the past, particularly the most unpleasant, are pushed into the recesses of daily consciousness. In the United States, with each new generation, the knowledge and experience of war, survival, and adversity are replaced with the demands of day-to-day living and an unfortunate tendency to fall prey not only to the false but fashionable proclivity of blaming America for all of mankind’s ills but also to the inexorable acceptance of the belief that a powerful central government is the source and arbiter of human rights and freedom.
I have lived among the people of the United States for seventy-five years after having been welcomed to its shores as a displaced war orphan from World War II. I have been privileged to get to know the magnificent citizens of this country from all walks of life, whether in the foothills of Appalachia, the farm fields of the Great Plains, the small towns and cities that dot the landscape, the imposing vistas of the West, or the streets of America’s major cities.
Their forebears created and molded the country that became the foremost nation on earth. That drive, determination, and above all patriotism still beat deep within the hearts of all who are proud to call this nation their home, and they will make certain that America’s best days are still ahead.
Steve McCann | May 25, 2026
Image created using AI.
Source: On Memorial Day, Unpatriotic Americans Know Nothing of America’s Greatness – American Thinker
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