Proud of My Country?

Michelle Obama is getting raked over the coals because she said, "for the first time in my adult life, I'm proud of my country," or something similar. And I can't figure out WHY folks are getting all up in arms about this. It's been a damn long time since I've been PROUD of my country. I've always been proud that I'm American, that our country stands for freedom. But being proud of my country? Not lately. I'm with Michelle - I'm proud to see a new generation get excited about politics, about hope. I've been worn out by eight years of incompetence and dishonesty, and I need to be proud of my country again. I need to live in a country where, if there's a question as to whether a practice is torture, we rise above and don't let it happen. We're supposed to be the best country in the world. I'm hoping we'll start acting like it again soon.