--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A popular bumper sticker post-9/11, and…" description: "\"A popular bumper sticker post-9/11, and pretty faded these days, proclaims drivers of the cars to be 'Proud to be an American.' It really should say 'L..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/hooman-majd-17771_american_a-popular-bumper-sticker-post-9-11-and-p_2560329.jpg" --- # A popular bumper sticker post-9/11, and pretty faded these… ![“A popular bumper sticker post-9/11, and pretty faded these days, proclaims drivers of the cars to be 'Proud to be an American.' It really should say 'Lucky to be an American,' for I doubt very much that the drivers had much say in having been born here, and are not old enough to have participated…” quote by Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/hooman-majd-17771_american_a-popular-bumper-sticker-post-9-11-and-p_2560329.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/hooman-majd-17771_american_a-popular-bumper-sticker-post-9-11-and-p_2560329.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/hooman-majd-17771_american_a-popular-bumper-sticker-post-9-11-and-p_2560329.jpg) > “A popular bumper sticker post-9/11, and pretty faded these days, proclaims drivers of the cars to be 'Proud to be an American.' It really should say 'Lucky to be an American,' for I doubt very much that the drivers had much say in having been born here, and are not old enough to have participated in the drafting of the Constitution.” [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques patriotic slogans, suggesting that pride should be tempered with awareness of circumstances and and. **In simple terms:** Patriotic slogans can overlook lack of choice and historical context. Key Takeaway Recognize privilege and foster humility. Themes patriotism humility social awareness Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type aphilosophical political When to use this quote - public discourse - education - media analysis - community dialogue Key Concepts political philosophy identity history Questions to Reflect On - How does privilege affect your sense of national identity? - What responsibilities come with unearned advantages? A Different Perspective It may overgeneralize individual experiences and ignore genuine national pride. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-doubt-1600243/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Bumper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bumper/) [Bumper sticker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bumper-sticker/) [Cars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cars/) [Cars Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cars-proud-1600241/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/days/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Drafting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drafting/) [Drivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drivers/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Faded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faded/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having/) [Here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/here/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Lucky American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky-american-1600242/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Old enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-enough/) [Popular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular/) [Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Proud american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud-american/) [Proud to be an american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud-to-be-an-american/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sticker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticker/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) ## Related quotes > [When I look at myself, I have been - really - a lucky American to end up where I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cohn/when-i-look-at-myself-i-have-been-really-a-lucky-american-to-end-up/) [Gary Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cohn/) > [I'm a big supporter of the military simply because I'm the daughter of a Polish immigrant who fled Europe during World War II from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-morgan/i-m-a-big-supporter-of-the-military-simply-because-i-m-the-daughter/) [Cindy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-morgan/) > [I don't denounce being Canadian at any point, but I'm definitely proud to be an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-bay/i-don-t-denounce-being-canadian-at-any-point-but-i-m-definitely-proud/) [Jason Bay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-bay/) > [I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know Im free. And I wont forget the men who died, who gave that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-proud-to-be-an-american-where-at-least-i-know-im-free-and-i-wont/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm very proud to be an American citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-ramirez/i-m-very-proud-to-be-an-american-citizen/) [Manny Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-ramirez/) > [I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/i-m-proud-to-be-an-american-where-at-least-i-know-i-m-free/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [I am proud to be an American, proud to represent 600,000 Americans, and proud to be in the only party pledged to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-holmes-norton/i-am-proud-to-be-an-american-proud-to-represent-600-000-americans-and/) [Eleanor Holmes Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-holmes-norton/) > [I'm proud to be an American. I'm proud to be an African American in America. I've had some interesting experiences: some great, some not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-snipes/i-m-proud-to-be-an-american-i-m-proud-to-be-an-african-american-in/) [Wesley Snipes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-snipes/) > [I have only a bare working knowledge of the human brain but it's enough to make me proud to be an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-have-only-a-bare-working-knowledge-of-the-human-brain-but-it-s/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [You know what's amazing to me? America. There have been so many people who have stepped up, and I'm just proud to be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/you-know-what-s-amazing-to-me-america-there-have-been-so-many-people/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life, And I had to start a new one with just my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/if-tomorrow-all-the-things-were-gone-i-d-worked-for-all-my-life-and-i/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [There's that great Bill Hicks line - the comedian - where he says, "Are you proud to be an American?" "I don't know. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/there-s-that-great-bill-hicks-line-the-comedian-where-he-says-are-you/) [Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/) > [I grew up a daughter of a United States Marine, a daughter of a man so proud to be an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-duckworth/i-grew-up-a-daughter-of-a-united-states-marine-a-daughter-of-a-man-so/) [Tammy Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-duckworth/) > [I am proud to be an American, and proud that such beliefs are at the core of our country and its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-linder/i-am-proud-to-be-an-american-and-proud-that-such-beliefs-are-at-the/) [John Linder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-linder/) > [Today makes me proud to be an American! Thank you to all the troops and those who have died for our freedom! Happy 4th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-makes-me-proud-to-be-an-american-thank-you-to-all-the-troops/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Hooman Majd > [Foreign journalists have to have an approved interpreter assigned them, which they have to pay for, who also acts as guide. As an Iranian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/foreign-journalists-have-to-have-an-approved-interpreter-assigned/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [The thing about Iran is there are many political factions and it's not quite the dictatorial, authoritarian state with one person always making every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/the-thing-about-iran-is-there-are-many-political-factions-and-it-s/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [“Some people he said, think that freedom means men being able to wear shorts or women to go about without the hijab. Others think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/some-people-he-said-think-that-freedom-means-men-being-able-to-wear/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [The problem is that Iran has been identified as a dangerous enemy, and the longer the media forwards that proposition - and the media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/the-problem-is-that-iran-has-been-identified-as-a-dangerous-enemy-and/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [If we cannot understand the depth of feeling in the Muslim world toward Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Islam as a political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/if-we-cannot-understand-the-depth-of-feeling-in-the-muslim-world/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [Inside Iran, people are actually quite well-educated about America. There are things they don't understand, particularly in the government, but the people, by and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/inside-iran-people-are-actually-quite-well-educated-about-america/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [I grew up thinking of myself as an American but also, because of my parents and the Iranian culture that was in our home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/i-grew-up-thinking-of-myself-as-an-american-but-also-because-of-my/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [I think there is an American attitude that is very hard to break which is "We're great. Who wouldn't want to be like us?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/i-think-there-is-an-american-attitude-that-is-very-hard-to-break/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [ If you are an \[American\] politician it's very hard to imagine. "Now we are going to treat these guys as our equals? That's ridiculous.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/if-you-are-an-american-politician-it-s-very-hard-to-imagine-now-we/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [The Iranian government has become pretty open about the drug problem in recent years. Opium use is a very traditional, cultural thing in Iran,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/the-iranian-government-has-become-pretty-open-about-the-drug-problem/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [I can't speak for all Iranians, but I think that many of them would be uncomfortable with Ahmadinejad if Iran had nuclear weapons and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/i-can-t-speak-for-all-iranians-but-i-think-that-many-of-them-would-be/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [He had undoubtedly not availed himself of the ministry archives, archives that might have revealed to him that Iranian diplomats in Paris, from this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/he-had-undoubtedly-not-availed-himself-of-the-ministry-archives/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [“It is perhaps because of the Iranian concept of the home and garden (and not the city or town it is in) as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/it-is-perhaps-because-of-the-iranian-concept-of-the-home-and-garden/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [Americans tend not to distinguish between political rhetoric and real intentions, which can lead to great misunderstanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/americans-tend-not-to-distinguish-between-political-rhetoric-and-real/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [I was born in Iran, left at a very young age-less than a year old-and grew up and was educated in the West. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/i-was-born-in-iran-left-at-a-very-young-age-less-than-a-year-old-and/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) [Explore all 36 Hooman Majd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. 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The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A popular bumper sticker post-9/11, and pretty faded these days, proclaims drivers of the cars to be 'Proud to be an American.' 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