The Olympics Made Me Proud to Be an American (Again)
Is that bad?
Anti-American sentiment is the strongest it’s ever been. Between America anchoring the resurgence of far-right ideology throughout the Western world, and the government’s involvement in the Gaza genocide, it seems all of America’s chickens have come home to roost.
Donald Trump’s first presidency damaged the U.S. and its reputation. A second presidency will destroy the U.S. irreparably. If I had the money, I would have already emigrated to another country. As we fight to ensure Trump is not reelected, the Olympics were a welcome, and dazzling, distraction.
When I watched the Olympics, I felt like a little girl again. I felt proud to be an American and from the greatest country in the world. Since 1996, the U.S. has won the medal count, and this time it “became the first country to top 3,000 Olympic medals…athletes from the U.S. took home 126 total medals.” No one can touch the U.S. Not our freedom, not our democracy, not our opportunities, not our military, not our economy, and, of course, not our athletes.
We know this isn’t the truth, but this is what I used to sincerely believe.
When you grow up believing in American mythos, it doesn’t even matter if any of America’s “greatness” personally applies to you.
