I am conflicted.
A part of my heart soars whenever I see an American Flag or �United We Stand� scrawled on a sheet hanging from an overpass.
But another part of me is scared. I worry about what the flags and American pride mean to people.
I like the idea of camaraderie. I like the idea of brotherhood and sisterhood.
I don�t like the idea of �Our team is the best.�
It is dangerous. Pride is dangerous.
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I remember in High school, I was pretty amped up on school pride. *Go Centurions!!!*
That pride is the source of one of my most shameful moments. The only occasion of violence in my adult life was at a High School football game.
I was in the stands and physically attacked an over-zealous fan on the other team. They started it, but what does that matter?
I became so filled with pride in �Us� that I found it easy to attack �them.�
Was I defending Good Sportsmanship or Fair Play? No. I was trying to destroy the bad guy in order to defend my team�s honor.
Am I saying this is what is happening in the world today? Not at all. World politics, Religious wars, and Trillions of dollars make the current situation incomprehensibly complex.
I only know that, even on its most simple level, we are playing a dangerous game. I urge honest reflection and compassion whenever possible.
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The camaraderie I feel right now is with the world, not just Americans. I feel a Brotherhood with all the people on the planet who respect human life and freedom. (�America� does not always fall into that category. And there are billions of non-Americans who do.)
Honestly, I wish I had the strength to push HugNation harder. My �Team� includes every person on the planet and I wish I could hug them all.
Will it change the world? I dunno. I think a better question is, �Is it worth it to try?�
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