Patriotism or Selfishness

Facebook statuses that I read today :
"only in America can the Prez win the nobel preace prize and people @#$%. Seriously WT$"
"Congratulations to President Barack Obama! This award of the Nobel Peace Prize is well deserved and brings honor to all of America."
Someone wrote on my facebook:
"In any case, we should be happy that an American got the award."


NOOOOOOOOOOOO PEOPLE! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING??

First and foremost: Someone please tell me what he did that deserves a Nobel Peace Prize? Did Obama invent something that changed the course of human enteraction and history, did he save lives somewhere along the way, did he save a country from destruction??? What did he do? The world looks no more peaceful to me today then it did before he got into office, nor can I point to once specific event in his life or action of his that deserves this prize.

Secondly, should I be happy just because an American won? Should I be sad just because South America won the Olympics? NO NO NO NO NO!!! Or at least thats what I think. For me, pride in this country comes from what it is. This country is, or was, a country about freedoms, freedom of religion, freedom to run your family the way you believe you should, freedom to get a job and earn money, freedom to act the way you want, freedom from oppression. I find pride in this country when it gives, when it goes out of its way to help other countries, when it really has no obligation too. This pride extends to when its individual citizens do the same. I find pride in our military, which is filled with many men and woman who put their lives on hold to defend this great nation. I find pride when we, through families, churches, and good schools, take the time to develop descent and knowledgable men and woman; when we defend morals and standards that have long been lost in other parts of the world. I find pride in many things.

I do not find pride in winning the olympics. The olympics are enjoyable and great. And yes, ill admit, when it is in the U.S. and we put on a great opening show, I feel a tab bit of pride. But do I feel a deep rooted pratriosim from winning it? No. I am just as happy when other countries win it to (if they deserve it). Do I find pride in this country when one of our citizens wins an award for something? I do when they have something grand to show for it. When they have given a big part of their life to a good cause and to giving to others, and when they are reverent and humble about it. But my pride isn't in the fact that they won something. Its more that I recognize the freedom, safety, family values, morals, etc. that are all present somewhere in this country, that have led to another great human being.

I DO NOT find pride in this country when one of its citizens wins an award, just because he is an American. No. I would be much happier if some citizen from another country, who truely gave, who truely did not expect anything in turn, received the award. I do not find pride in American Citizens receiving awards when they have nothing to show for it, when they did nothing, when they received it simply because they were Obama and Gore. Our country will no longer be a great nation if we allow this type of pride and selfishness to take over our thoughts. Just as the Nobel Peace Prize is no longer a great prize.