American Pride - Bryant McGill

# American Pride **Domain:** Civic Confidence / National Character **Series:** [[american/American Ethos - Simple Reminders on Real American Pride|Simple Reminders on Real American Pride]] ## Definition American pride is the quiet confidence of a republic that knows what it has built and understands what its inheritance requires. It does not deny first place when first place has been earned; it refuses to turn achievement into a taunt, because flaunting supremacy is a confession that the achievement has not yet become character. The American standard is carried through courage, imagination, useful work, civic equality, and the capacity to enlarge hope beyond the self. National confidence becomes trustworthy when it leaves other people with dignity and possibility intact. The strongest country in the room does not need to shout across it. ## Place in the American System This node belongs to [[collections/American|the American Collection]] and interprets [[american/American Ethos - Vision and Doctrine|American Ethos]] and [[american/American Ethos - Cultural Thesis 05 - America Without Fanfare|America Without Fanfare]]. Its quotations remain sourced and editorially explained in [[american/American Ethos - Simple Reminders on Real American Pride|Simple Reminders on Real American Pride]]; their permanent poster objects appear below. ## Simple Reminders, Quotations, and Thoughts > “America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” > **— Harry S. Truman**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/Courage, Imagination, and the Work at Hand by Harry S. Truman|Courage, Imagination, and the Work at Hand by Harry S. Truman]] > “Because of what America is and what America has done, a firmer courage, a higher hope, inspires the heart of all humanity.” > **— Calvin Coolidge**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/America as a Source of Hope by Calvin Coolidge|America as a Source of Hope by Calvin Coolidge]] > “We have been, and propose to be, more and more American.” > **— Calvin Coolidge**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/Becoming More American by Calvin Coolidge|Becoming More American by Calvin Coolidge]] > “I think that an American who is worth his salt has the right to feel at home in every part of the United States.” > **— Theodore Roosevelt**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/At Home in Every Part of America by Theodore Roosevelt|At Home in Every Part of America by Theodore Roosevelt]] > “The fundamental truth in American citizenship is that each man is entitled in the last resort to be judged solely on his worth as a man.” > **— Theodore Roosevelt**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/The Fundamental Truth of American Citizenship by Theodore Roosevelt|The Fundamental Truth of American Citizenship by Theodore Roosevelt]] > “A united country, a unified America, submerging petty difference in common purpose, will find no limit to its achievement.” > **— Lyndon B. Johnson**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/Common Purpose and National Achievement by Lyndon B. Johnson|Common Purpose and National Achievement by Lyndon B. Johnson]] > “The American dream does not come to those who fall asleep.” > **— Jimmy Carter**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/The American Dream Requires Wakefulness by Jimmy Carter|The American Dream Requires Wakefulness by Jimmy Carter]] > “Even when our political system is consumed by small things, we are a people called to do big things.” > **— Barack Obama**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/A People Called to Do Big Things by Barack Obama|A People Called to Do Big Things by Barack Obama]] > “Human ingenuity always has a way of exceeding expectations, especially in a country as free as ours.” > **— Dick Cheney**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/Ingenuity in a Free Country by Dick Cheney|Ingenuity in a Free Country by Dick Cheney]] > “America is the promised land.” > **— Gene Simmons**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* [[reminders/American Pride/The Promised Land by Gene Simmons|The Promised Land by Gene Simmons]]  ## American System Connections [[wiki/National Capability Culture|National Capability Culture]] gives American pride an operational object: systems that discover, protect, build, repair, and serve. [[wiki/American Standard|American Standard]] governs how achievement is carried; excellence is welcome, while flaunting supremacy remains uncouth.