As an older American, I find myself ashamed at what this nation has become. While many people mindlessly continue to repeat the mantra that America is the greatest nation in the world, it is hard for me to understand why they still believe this. I love my country, but my husband and I now experience sadness instead of the pride when we hear the National Anthem.

Many Americans claim to be Christians, but I see little of Christ's teaching of love, humility, compassion and tolerance in the way they live their lives. Instead, they speak of individual self-reliance, which is little more than a doctrine based on survival of the fittest.

How do they bear the knowledge of the horrific human suffering we have caused the people of Iraq? How can they not see what is so flawed about the American way of life and our culture of wasteful consumption and willful degradation of the planet.