When Michelle Obama made her much maligned remarks about being really proud of her country for the first time in her adult life, I read the reports, cringed a little bit and then moved on, figuring she probably meant to make a more artful point and just stumbled a little.
 
Since she's in the news this week, I decided to listen to the soundbite. As I did, I was struck by something. I haven't been all that proud of my country either.

I love the United States and the ideals on which it was founded. But when I use the term "my country" in terms of the actions that it takes, I'm usually referring to the government. And in my lifetime, they've done some things that make me far from proud.

I was born in 1969, which means I was 18 in 1987. In my adult lifetime a sample of things my country has done includes ignoring famine and genocide, elevating Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, impeaching a president for lying about sex, and implementing "do as I say, not as I do" foreign and trade policies.

After 2000, it got even worse. I was going to make a list of all of the things the Bush administration has done to make me not proud but then I realized it would take far too long and would probably result in high therapy bills. Some high (low) lights:  Iraq, Katrina, warrantless wiretaping,  and torture.

Have I stopped loving my country? No. I love it so much I want it to live up to its potential.

But I'm not proud of my government. Hundreds of elected officials allowed my country to be hijacked by a cabal of warmongering, corporate-raiding, constitution-ignoring asshats.

Did they stand up for me? No. Did they stand up for the ideals and laws of our country? No. Did they stand up for themselves? No.

They hid under their desks and hoped nobody would notice as they continued to be beholden to the corporations and lobbyists who funded their re-election campaigns.

Then along comes a guy from Illinois who suggests that if we all work together, with our collective expertise and spirit, we can fix what ails us. Millions upon millions of people have responded with money, ideas, time, and votes.

After years of feeling like the citizens of my beloved country could do nothing while we were getting screwed, suddenly I feel hopeful again. Maybe we do haev a say in what our government does. Maybe we can stop the madness. Maybe I will feel proud of my country. We'll see.