American patriotism is unique. While other countries may have national pride in a shared culture or race, pride in the U.S. has always found its roots in the founding ideas behind our country. For this reason, for decades, freedom movements around the world have used the American flag as a symbol to represent the aspirations of democracy, liberty, and justice for all.
The U.S. has traditionally been a beacon of freedom to immigrants from around the world, and each year we welcome more than one million new immigrants. Immigrants and their children and grandchildren often share a special pride in their new chosen homeland, and this is true for many Hispanic-American households.
But sadly, for the first time, pollsters have found that a majority of Americans say they are not proud of their country today. The biggest drop in U.S. pride is among Hispanics. The likely explanation is that Americans aren’t looking to our founding ideas when considering their national pride; they are looking to the current state of American leadership, and they are disappointed.
The survey, by FOX News, asked registered voters, “Are you proud of the country today?” to which 39% said “yes.” That is down 12 points from June 2017 and 30 points since June 2011. When minorities were asked the same question, though black voters went from a 28-point margin five years ago to a more favorable 9-point margin today, they are still leaning towards “not proud”. Hispanic American voters moved from being proud of the U.S. by 18 points in 2017 to not being proud by 24 points now.
In the survey, minorities are the least proud of the U.S., and they are also the most affected by the current left-leaning policies implemented by the Biden administration. For instance, Hispanics mostly flee their countries to escape socialism, poverty, and crime. They come to the United States to live in safe communities with economic systems that allow them to become successful, to achieve the American Dream. However, the American Dream is becoming unattainable as left-leaning policies continue to push the economy into unprecedented inflation. Every American is feeling the consequences of inflation, but according to new research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, if you’re a black or Hispanic consumer, it hurts you more.
The report stated that when inflation began rising in March 2021, disparities surged, with black and Hispanic Americans experiencing higher inflation than the national average and Asian Americans experiencing lower inflation. Hispanic Americans are currently experiencing 0.6% worse inflation than average, and black Americans are experiencing 0.2% worse inflation than average. This is because these economically less advantaged groups spend a disproportionately high share of their income on categories like transportation and housing that have seen some of the greatest price increases.
Similarly, black and Hispanic Americans are more likely to be experiencing the consequences of high crime. While overall crime has increased in recent years (with 2020 seeing the largest single-year increase in murder rates in modern American history), black and Hispanic neighborhoods were hardest hit. Many Hispanic immigrants come to the U.S. seeking safety and opportunity, but instead find violence and hardship.
The negative impact Hispanic families are experiencing with this economic crisis and the obsolete policies of the Biden administration are the reasons why, within the Hispanic community, pride in the U.S. has declined. America is becoming unrecognizable with inflation, a crisis at the border, extreme crime rates, and failed foreign policies.
Recently, the Summit of the Americas took place in Los Angeles. The Biden administration suffered a massive boycott by Latin American countries, which showed utter disrespect by not sending their presidents. Not too long ago, when America called, other countries would answer, but now it seems like they don’t show respect because they don’t fear the consequences. At the same time that Americans are losing pride in America, it’s quickly losing the respect of other countries as well.
Hispanics love this country for giving them a chance at a better life, and they recognize these issues can improve. The United States is a great nation, but it needs leadership that matches its greatness. It is our duty to choose effective leaders to move us in a direction in which we can feel proud of the country once more.