Yes we did

When I was 16 years old, I started to have these funny feelings. I distinctly remember getting distracted, frequently, from important things like studying and maintaining the few friendships I had managed during highschool. Those "funny" feelings weren't the tingly kind that most teenagers may recall with an awkward fondness - rather, they were emotions fueled by political curiosity and social discontent. While most around me were prepping for the prom, I was beginning (unbeknownst to me at the time) an intellectual journey that would thrust me into subcultural identification and ultimately, what I refer to as a "convenient condemnation."

I bought books by Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky - I listened to bands like Bad Religion and Anti-Flag - I sewed upside down American flag patches onto my jackets and spoke out often against the atrocities of nationalism. I didn't hate America, but I hated borders and I hated xenophobia. I couldn't understand how people could lift one country above another, ignoring its own terrorism and dictatorship throughout the world. At the tender age of 17, I refused to pledge allgiance to any flag - and I vowed that I would instead devote my entire life to the constant, endless pursuit of knowledge - and to me, nationalism was the absolute antithesis to intellect.

It wasn't easy to maintain an adverse political ideology, even during the excitement of beginning my higher education career at the liberal university of my choice. I had been a college student for a little over one week when the United States suffered the attacks of September 11th, 2001. One day later, I wrote an essay highlighting the hypocrisy of the United States - citing all the foreign attacks and civilian casualties caused by our government - asking people to remember that we are not alone in the act of mourning the deaths of loved ones for idelogical gains. I asked that people let 9/11 be a lesson to them - one that would help us learn the importance of global unity, support and equality. The response to this eassy? Death threats, a flood of negative emails, and several campaigns to ban me from multiple forums of which I had been an active, respectful and engaging participant.

In the years following the backlash, I dropped out of politics. I watched from the background while the Bush administration committed crimes against humanity, fooled the American public into happily giving up their rights and liberties, and waged an absolutely pointless war. I gave up on trying to speak to the people around me, let alone reaching out the larger internet audience. I became cynical and resentful - I began to considering leaving the United States upon completion of my degree. And in November of 2004, I couldn't even bring myself to care about the Democratic opponent to the devil himself.

If you would have told me then that in four short years I would be sitting on my livingroom floor, sobbing tears of joy, feeling pride in being American - I would have suggested you never waste money on the 3-digit. If you would have told me that I would be getting a tattoo that had ANYTHING to do with nationalism, let alone one nation's electoral process - I would've laughed in your face. But here we are - here I AM - thinking about purchasing an American flag and feeling PROUD to live in a particular country - feeling HOPEFUL for the future of my investments and my career - Looking at my little sister who had a matter of days after her 18th birthday to register, watching the outcome of the election that saw her very first vote.

Six years ago I hated the idea of America. Today, I finally feel what I've heard so many talk about from years past - the idea that from many we are truly one. This is our history, our moment to appreciate the time that this country redeemed itself in our eyes and the eyes of the entire world. So stand up and embrace what, as a whole, you and your fellow Americans have done - you not only made history, but you made a future, as well.