There’s not a lot to be proud of, at least in terms of single majestic moments, here, but if there’s one moment, it’s when we whacked Michael Fay.
We like our streets vandal-free, and by being here, you submit to our laws as well. Nobody is above the law.
I like that.
Before 9/11 - the era of 1999 and 2000 when we were coasting on the roaring `90s economy, the Lewisnky scandal, the dot.com boom, prosperity and evanesence (last week, anyone?).
Also, the 1996 Olympic Games were held in Atlanta. The Opening ceremony with Janet Evans and Muhammad Ali in the torch relay were phenomenal. Wow. It was the 90s. The athetics were great, always has been, although the events weren’t so hyped as they are now. And there was a hopeful feeling to the country and to the world…
No single event, but I probably felt the most pride in my country in my late teens and early twenties, when I enlisted in the military and while I was going through the Navy nuclear power program.
I remember in boot camp when we were getting ready for our first competitive drill (rifle moves and such). Our company commander had us all stand at ease in our barracks and close our eyes. He then turned on a tape deck and played “Proud to be an American” and it sent chills up our young spines. (We then went on to get a totally crap rating in the competition.)
My pride in America perhaps doesn’t have the same fervor as when I was 18, but I never regret having served and still believe in this nation.
Moon Landing. When Armstrong stepped out, I thought, “We did it!!!”
I give up… why?
When they refused to go to war in Iraq. (No offense intended!)
When Canada legalized same-sex marriage.
In the 70’s; my birthdate is in my profile.
Honestly not a criticism, but it’s kind of interesting that all of your Canada-pride moments are related to Canada helping the US in its times of need. Just a coincidence, or do you have strong feelings about US-Canadian relations that would make these moments stand out?
If you’re asking our opinions on Michelle Obama’s comments (or is that supposed to be posted in the GD thread? I’m confused), I don’t put any weight in them at all, because I don’t take them at face value. It seems to me the kind of thing one could say in the heat of the moment that could then be spun out of all proportion. I assume that, like most people, Obama has a mixture of feelings about her country – including pride, regret, embarrassment, etc.
If I did take the comments at face value, I have to admit that it would lower my opinions about Obama. To never have been proud of her country until the time of that speech would indicate to me an unattractively negative personality, and one with very little sense of the country’s history or the progress it has made.
As for me, my unexpected moments of pride in my country aren’t usually tied to political or social events, but to our popular culture, of all things! For example, when I had moved to London a few years ago, the children’s theater school was putting on “Oklahoma!”. I decided to go see it, and for some dumb reason seeing those British teenagers putting on cowboy hats and swinging lassoes and singing about the surrey with the fringe on top made me almost irrationally proud of my country. I guess it was just seeing that idealized American optimism and pioneer spirit bouncing off the stage, in a native American art form way out in drizzly London. I had a similar experience watching “The Dark Knight” in China earlier this year – somehow watching dark American fantasies of Gotham and revenge and redemption and all that other stuff people read into superhero movies, watching that with a Chinese audience that just lapped it all up also made me proud of my country. The American idea of itself, whether that idea be optimistic or pessimistic or in-between, brilliantly portrayed by our artists (in film, theater, books, music, etc.), and successfully exported around the world, for some reason makes me proud. I know I’m expressing myself poorly, but hopefully you get the idea.
Keep in mind I’m only 22 years old.
9/11 was when I first saw that Americans could put aside cultural differences. I mean I figured it was possible in theory, but I never thought it would happen.
NYC is hardly like the rest of the country, but it was as if the terrorists had crash landed in every city in America. The support was overwhelming. Walking down the streets you could feel that everyone was hurt by the event. I even enjoyed it when Bush told the firemen that “the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”
Support for Katrina was made bitter sweet because half of these people gave Bush another shot.
The second time I was proud of America was when they turned out for Barack Obama. 
Seriously, I know it was more like 10% of registered voters that voted for him, but it was nice to see that racial barriers are slowly crumbling.
I thought about that. I don’t really have strong feelings (more on this later), but the OP put two conditions down: during my lifetime and no sports victories. While I can think of many examples from history and sports, the sad part is that outside of events like I’ve listed, I don’t know if we have a lot for which (in my opinion) we can display the kind of pride that I think the OP is seeking examples of, and that fit the conditions, and that don’t involve helping out the US in some way. Now, that’s only my opinion, of course, and others may disagree. And of course, I’m mindful of the problems inherent in displaying pride over some “internal” achievement that while we Canadians may think a lot of it, never makes the news elsewhere, and would likely make other nations’ posters on an international message board respond with something like, “Oh, we did that years ago” (at best) or “So what?” (at worst). Thus I’m dealing with that condition too.
I do have some feelings about US-Canada relations. Again, just my opinion, but I find that there is an element on anti-Americanism in this country. Where it comes from, I have no idea; but it’s there, and (again, IMHO) it’s not something to be proud of. Mind, that’s just me; I’d feel the same if there was a streak of anti-anything-else-ism. Anyway, it’s nice–and obviously, it makes me proud–to see that in times of need, we can set aside our prejudices about you and lend some help when you guys need it. We’re right next door, have been for years, and can easily get to you if you need a hand. Pretty sure you’d do the same for us if we needed it. And that kind of international cooperation is something to be proud of, I think.
Not sure if I clarified things for you, Rodgers01, but I hope this helps.
When the Spanish government offered automatic Spanish nationality to the immigrants wounded or killed in the March 11 bombings and their families.
I feel ashamed whenever there are elections. Or when someone starts blaming (insert current issue here) on someone who was in power more than 10 years ago: cut that out, willya? Both your guys and our guys have been in power since then! While in a way we’re all the children of our past, blaming current immigration issues on Fernando I of Leon doesn’t cut it.
I don’t feel proud about foreign help given by my governments, as I reckon that’s a duty. It would be like being proud of myself for breathing in and out: I’m happy I breathe, but not proud. I’m also happy when “my people” (my autonomous government, my town, my parish) give more, or that we have good emergency resources and can lend them out. Maybe part of it is that I’m so used to considering pride as “a sin, an overdone thing” that I don’t use that word as easily as others, I don’t know.
Heck, that day I was proud of the Brits, and I’m not even Brit!
I’ve been intensely proud of my country for as long as I can remember.
Those of you who know me will be aware of this. The love I have for Britain burns fierce.
Americans are a very close second in my affections
I don’t really believe you can know your country until you step outside of it for a decent length of time (weekends in Cancun don’t count).
I had a new found respect and pride in my country when I went to University overseas in '97.
I’m not a big one for national pride or school pride or in general being proud of something other than your own accomplishments. I can’t think of any particular events that have happened in my lifetime that make me feel pride in my country, but reading and hearing about the social movements of the 60s and early 70s make me feel all warm and fuzzy. That’s some amazing stuff.
I have had several conversations with non-Americans that have made me feel proud of/grateful for some of our institutions. Separation of church and state, free speech, having a republic rather than a direct democracy, the ability to sue for damages (although perhaps we take that one a bit too far 
), etc.
I feel a bit of pride whenever someone stands up to a despot, such as when Joseph Welch asked Joe McCarthy “Have you no decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?” I even had to give Ollie North props (even though he’s a wacko) for standing up to the investigating committee and chastising them for publishing his address and phone number. Being able to speak your mind without fear of legal retribution is a right that too few countries allow their citizens. It’s what scares me most in the USA these days, when I see people muzzled or intimidated by the government for exercising their first amendment rights.
When Spain won the Eurocup!
(Bolding mine) I was too busy smiling at your description of watching Batman in China and “Oklahoma” in London to notice how poorly you were expressing yourself.
And comments about Ms. Obama are welcome for “compare and contrast her with yourself” purposes, but she isn’t the main focus of the thread. Just a side dish.
Mr. Der Trihs:
As one of posters here who have never (as an adult) felt pride in your country let me ask you something. Can you imagine a scenario that might cause you to experience it?
And Elbows:
“When they refused to go to war in Iraq. (No offense intended!)”
I’m a U.S. citizen and was proud of Canada then, so naturally no offense taken.
I was proudest of the people of my country in the aftermath of 9/11, seeing how people handled this man-made tragedy and refused to be broken by it, and how people came together in the greatest show of national unity I’ve experienced in my life (of 51 years). I think, however, that this is more a token of human nature than of American nationalism. I think people in general rise to the occasion in the face of adversity.
This is a much different issue than being proud of the accomplishments of our government, which had had more memorable low moments than high ones that come to mind.