Why Do Americans Have Great Pride?

Do you know the meaning of patriotic? It means having or expressing a great love of your country. Japanese people are patriotic, however, they don’t like to show it. But in the U.S., people have great honor and respect for their country and they show their patriotism to everyone even in daily life. It is part of their culture and character.

First, America is a country that has a lot of diversity, and it is important to show nationalism. In the past, many immigrants who came to the U.S. had strong hopes and desires for freedom. They wanted to become Americans and to begin brand new lives in the “melting pot.” Melting pot means a place or situation in which large numbers of people and ideas are mixed together. They could become Americans, and it was connected to their character of patriotism. But now their idea has become more multinational, and it is called “tossed salad.” Think about salad. Of course a lot of vegetables are put in the salad bowl, and all of them make an amazing taste. The vegetables mean diversity and have original, traditional and valuable cultures, so it explains the importance of keeping own cultures within American culture. For example, if I marry a person from America, I want to share both American and Japanese culture, to respect each other. That is why Americans are proud of their nationality and diversity.

Second, when each American was a child, every student had to say “The Pledge of Allegiance” with crossed hands on their hearts. "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." The education system made their characters, and it is important for Americans. Most people fly a flag in front of their house. It is one of the symbols of honor, glory and freedom in the United States. It has a lot of meanings. For example, the American flag is connected to government, the navy, police officers, the army and war. If you have a job connected to these things, or you have friends in the army, you should put the American flag in front of your house. The American flag is a sign of support. As you know, the American flag was a big deal for American’s life in the past, but now it is not unusual. It has become part of their culture.

Finally, Japanese people have patriotism, but it is not strong like in America. We sing a national anthem only at special events, like the World Cup, Olympics, or ceremonies connected to education. Japanese people think the national anthem and Japanese flag are not important; however, it does not mean that they don’t have patriotism. If Japanese people watch a sports competition on TV, they may support the Japanese players. But as a result of their Japanese character, they may be less active than Americans.

In conclusion, America has an original and interesting history, so Americans feel great honor for their country and always show their inner feeling about patriotism. But Japan doesn't have a lot of diversity, so Japanese people do not need to show their nationalism to their neighbors. It is both a good point and a bad point about Japanese.