This is the essay that I wrote for the Patriot's Pen contest.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Many people know this as the Pledge of Allegiance, but I know it as a statement. A statement, like all, but a statement none the less. We say this simple sentence every day, but have we forgotten what it stands for? Pride. Pride for the people we are honoring when we say this and pride for the country they come from.
The pledge, like many other American songs and rhymes, is meant to remind us of our pride; pride in our beliefs, pride in our hearts, and pride in our country. Having pride in your country is a necessity of life. You do not need to believe in everything America stands for, but you need to have the courage to know that it will get better.
If someone were to ask me if I am proud of my country, I would want to say, “I definitely am,” but I’ve never really thought about it. I have realized that I am very proud of America and I am proud of all of the progress we have made. We are a fairly young country and do not have nearly as much experience as other nations, yet we have advanced so much quicker. America has developed so much from 1783 and I think our nation today would even make George Washington proud.
I have unbelievable pride in America, but I do not agree with some choices we have made. We have turned America into a diehard business country, instead of a country of strong pride and honor. We have turned ourselves into money-craving, unhealthy, figure heads on this ground we call the United States. United. That is the word that we need to remember when we remember out pride.
America believes in freedoms, rights, and having a voice to be heard; just some of the freedoms that we’ve been so graciously handed. Not every country can say that they have these rights and we need to remember to thank our country for them. President John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Here’s what I can do, I can be proud of this country, our country.
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