Remember Being American

Lately, it seems like we've lost sight of what it means to be Americans.

We aren't Supermen and Wonder Women, but as a country we've generally tried to do what has been right and necessary at the time, which is high praise indeed.

Finding one of my all-time favorite movies, "Stripes," on AMC TV the other day, I especially enjoyed re-hearing Bill Murray's pep talk in which he recalls what it mean to be an American. 

It's far from complete, but it is a reminder that we can do anything we set our minds to do.

Perhaps I like this movie because like Murray's character, I joined the military at a later age than most other recruits, and I too just wanted to re-start, although I definitely wasn't as screwed up as him. I have fond memories of my time in the Air Force, including marching, in which I was the one who wrote and then sang loudly the revised lyrics to songs like "Yellow Submarine" that my platoon echoed back as we marched.