The Associated Press has quoted 19-year-old Colin Zaremba, whose own name suggests immigrant origins, as saying, "I'm proud to be an American, and I hate Arabs and I always have."
It seems like everyone is proud to be an American these days, however, like Zaremba, most people, especially America's adolescents, know nothing about being one. Being patriotic doesn't mean scurrying to your local Wal-Mart and buying the U.S. flag gear or harassing Arabs; it's much more than that. The democratic ideals of this country are hoisted up high around this world by our flag. …
