Plenty To Be Proud Of

Perhaps if Michelle Obama had been in New York City immediately following the attacks of September 11, 2001, she would have been as proud as I was of our country. Not only was I immensely proud of our nation that day, I was doubly proud to be a New Yorker. The nation's tragedy gave birth to countless acts of charity as New Yorkers pulled together as one, mourning and comforting the bereaved. The resolve of residents to return to normal routines in spite of the violence inflicted on us was reminiscent of Londoners during the Blitz.

All this week, press outlets have been hammering away at the words spoken by Senator Obama's wife. At a rally in Madison, Wis., she said: "For the first time in my adult life, I'm really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change."

Naturally, conservative pundits consider her remarks confirmation of her liberal anti-Americanism, while her defenders say her words were taken out of context or misunderstood. What I found more disturbing, however, was the applause from the crowd, who obviously empathized with Mrs. Obama.

I'm not prepared to pass judgment on Michelle Obama's patriotism, but her comments should make all Americans ponder the length and strength of our pride in being American. It was certainly there in all of us after September 11, with flags and yellow ribbons festooning the streets of the city. I recently watched a DVD of the mystery drama "Jonathan Creek," which showed a panoramic view of the city, and there they were — the twin towers soaring majestically over the other buildings. My heart felt its usual pang. Indeed, watching any airplane descending to land at Newark Airport makes me think of that fateful day and the heartrending months that followed.

Staten Islanders were inundated by funeral processions for the fallen firefighters for many months as their remains were uncovered and identified intermittently. Street name changes in their honor and mini memorials are constant reminders even today of their sacrifices. We would read daily reports of New Yorkers lining up at the hospitals to donate blood for survivors who never materialized. Downtown businesses supplied beverages and food to the volunteers at ground zero.

As I watched the towers fall on television, I began singing "God Bless America," recognizing that this great nation was under attack, but that because it was a good nation it would survive. Indeed, Wall Street was back in business within days. If Osama bin Laden thought we would crumble, he had no idea what being an American means.

It sometimes takes a disaster to bring our resolve to the surface, but it's always there, as are our tender mercies. There is no more generous nation in the world. In 1970, when George Harrison and Ravi Shankar mounted a fundraiser for Bangladesh, they made sure to center the drive here in America. When the tsunami struck in Asia, Americans were the most generous donors. Farm Aid, Live Aid, telethons, you name it; Americans are soft touches for those in need, regardless of color, creed, or country. But pride in our generosity pales beside the pride I feel for our military, who are risking their lives battling a fierce enemy abroad and unfortunately at home in the mainstream press.

I doubt seriously that Mrs. Obama's speeches will have any effect on her husband's meteoric ascendancy to the Democratic presidential nomination, but he did feel compelled to defend her words. In an interview on the Texas radio station WAOI, Mr. Obama said: "What she meant was, this is the first time that she's been proud of the politics of America. Because she's pretty cynical about the political process, and with good reason, and she's not alone. But she has seen large numbers of people get involved in the process, and she's encouraged."

Well, I don't blame the Obamas for being cynical after so many years of voting for the political party that's paid the black community only lip service for decades. If blacks had stayed and supported the party of Lincoln, the nation would surely have had a black president by now, perhaps even a female one as well. Conservatives have been voting for blacks in larger numbers than liberals for more than a century, but then we've always been proud of our country.

acolon@nysun.com