By With the upcoming election season and Veterans Day on the horizon, many young Americans find themselves questioning their pride in the nation.
A Gallup survey conducted annually for over 20 years, asked, “How proud are you to be an American?”
In the years following the 9/11 attacks, as many as 91% of Americans reported “extremely proud” or “very proud” to be American.
However, in 2024, that number dropped to 67%, with the lowest figures being among those aged 18 to 35, where only 50% expressed similar feelings.
“It’s the actions we do as a country; sometimes they aren’t done well, like the wars we are supporting,” Cesar Climaco, a first-year CSULB student, said. “I am not proud because we are not handling them in a different way.”
Many young people voiced their disagreement with government actions, particularly regarding complex issues like the Israel-Hamas war.
Protests on campuses, including Long Beach State, reflect a growing discontent in the population. Interestingly, similar protests occurred against the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan post-9/11, yet pride levels remained high at that time.
“I think as a nation we are so separated with races, pronouns and genders,” Makenna Campos, a second-year student, said. “We have become separated as a nation, and there is so much hatred.”
This election has illustrated a polarization within the nation. Emotionally charged issues like abortion, immigration, race, gender and wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have progressively set Americans against one another.
This is not a new phenomenon; due to the two-party system of government, most issues tend to be divided on the political stage.
The choice between Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, often pushes citizens onto one side of the fence or the other without acknowledging how near the dividing line people stand.
Regardless of the factors that have caused this decline, fostering a sense of American pride remains the top priority, and the solution lies in cultivating ownership.
Taking pride in one’s work encourages a craftsman to become a master, while pride in one’s child sustains a parent through sleepless nights. Pride is the driving force that fosters dedication in high-performing athletes.
Having pride in one’s country does not mean believing it is without faults; instead, it is the opposite. Pride in one’s country entails recognizing these shortcomings and actively collaborating with Americans to address them.
“Even though I don’t agree with some things, I have the right to believe that, and I still have a voice even if people disagree,” Rebecca Torres, a first-year student, said.
American freedom is frequently discussed; however, the responsibilities that accompany it are even more critical.
While freedom of speech grants individuals the right to express their beliefs, it also imposes upon them the duty to speak truthfully. Freedom of assembly provides the right to protest and the responsibility to support what is just.
“Let us not despair but act. Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past, let us accept our own responsibility for the future,” said Former President John F. Kennedy.
