The 2008 presidential election was the first time in my thirty-five years of life that I was proud to be an American. I was raised in a religion that strictly forbade participation in our earthly government, but instead encouraged devotion to our Creator. As I became an adult and left this religious organization, my persistent refusal to participate became a deeply personal choice and preference. As a biracial American, how could I respect a government that, for so many years, not only permitted but encouraged the mistreatment of minority groups? How could I pledge allegiance to a flag that represented to me the brutality and inequality I had come to despise? I never considered myself anti-American, but preferred to see it as being passive, even uncommitted. I have never taken the Pledge of Allegiance in my life. I have never sung the United States national anthem. I have never raised the American flag on a flagpole. I never considered joining the armed forces to defend my country. Having the opportunity to vote for a biracial president forced me to re-evaluate my beliefs and values. That day, thanks to this opportunity, I was transformed. As a child, I never questioned the religious beliefs that required me to be an outcast when all the kids took the Pledge of Allegiance each morning at school. As an adult, these religious beliefs became less important, but the stories of racism and struggle that my family had shared with me over the years were still etched in my heart. America had failed my family, generation after generation, and in doing so, it had failed me. It always upset me when people said, "Slavery and racism was so long ago, don't hold grudges, just forget... middle of paper... the American consensus. I am proud of what my country did that day and I have the satisfaction of knowing that I was part of it. Hope for my future as an American is much brighter, and I have a positive outlook on my children's future as American citizens. I can now have confidence in the process of our political system and I have renewed confidence in my country. I am writing to our soldiers who fight for us overseas and can express my gratitude to them for risking their lives day in and day out. However, I still do not take the Pledge of Allegiance or sing our national anthem. I have a deeper respect for what this nation stands for and the changes that have been made over the years. I am a happier person now and am able to respect the patriotism of those around me. I am a better person and the American people helped me become that way.