I have never been so ashamed to be an American.

[NNadir]

I'm at an industry event in Germany and there was a person checking attendees in at one of the halls.

There was no line behind me so she struck up a conversation.

She told me that her son is an excellent student, and that she'd worked all her life to be able to send him the United States for an American university education, but now she is afraid to do so. (She spoke excellent English, and excellent German.)

I tried to tell her that her son would be safe, but she refused to believe me.

She pinched her skin and told me she was born in Africa. "My son will not be safe in your country," she insisted.

I understand her point. It's very possible that an African young man with a German accent might well be killed in our country.

I'm so ashamed.

We are not just losing the fine citizens who saw our country as a promised land, the best of the best.

We are losing the intellectuals, the thinkers, the people of broad spirit and broad culture who have always enriched our country for more than 200 years.

I'm so ashamed.

[Angry Dragon]

1. I will tell you what I told someone else

You have nothing to be ashamed about

[MFM008]

2. This

Is the " new " normal Flake was talking about.

[Irish_Dem]

3. People are not safe in this country. We should be honest about that.

America has a violent gun culture. We can be shot going about our daily business. And people of color are in danger.

[brooklynite]

4. How many Italians rescinded their nationality over Berlusconi?

When you deny your “Americanism”, you hand it to the Republicans.

[NNadir]

8. I'm not denying it. I am simply ashamed that it has allowed an awful person like this racist...

...buffoon to set foot in, never mind live in, the White House.

It's a huge stain on our history.

[world wide wally]

5. We all should be ashamed

[smirkymonkey]

6. That is really unfortunate.

However, I never understood why Europeans want to send their children to American schools? I think they get a much better education over there and it's much cheaper. Why would they want to come here in the first place? Just strike up a conversation w/ your average European - they know so much more about politics, history, literature, philosophy, geography, languages, etc. than even very well educated Americans.

[treestar]

18. Maybe the same reasons

We would want to go to school in Europe. Travel and broader experience.

[bellmartin]

7. I've had a similar and gradually building experience

...in 1982 and '88, traveling in Europe, I was ashamed about Reagan.

...a little less embarrased in '89, with GHW Bush.

In 2005, I was even more ashamed in European travels because of W.

In 2014, I was elated because of President Obama.

I dread going back to Europe. This is of a new magnitude. We are all tarred with this hideous stain.

It's one of my fondest hopes that when we're able to begin putting the pieces back together again, we can help the rest of the world to see that it was largely a hideous aberration, not who we really are. I'm hoping to hear many enlightened voices from other countries who feel able to support us again, with even government officials able to speak freely about just how grotesque the spectacle was.

Even in the best-case scenarios, it's going to take a lot of time and healing.

It sounds melodramatic to say it (at least for now), but it really does make me think I'm beginning to understand what it was like for German and Japanese citizens postwar. May it never come to a closer comparison.

[volstork]

10. Welcome to DU

and thank you for this post. Your hope for the future is my hope as well. May it come to pass.

[yuiyoshida]

9. Nearly most of my life, I have never been accepted as an "American"

I am Asian-American, yes...I speak English.... its my first language and Japanese is my second language and yes I was born here. I am sick of telling people all my life that I am not a Foreigner nor a visitor...and now with Trump in office, its even more difficult. How many forms of I-D do I need to prove I was born in the United States? I have a Calfornia driver's licence and a Passport that states I was born in the United States. I also have an state Birth certificate and a Social Security number...

[mn9driver]

11. I've found that people respond to and as individuals.

I've met and made many friends when visiting other countries, even after Trump. These days, his name always comes up sooner or later. So far I haven't run into anyone that supports him, so that just gives us something else in common and something to roll our eyes about over beer.

[AngryAmish]

12. I was more ashamed of our colonial wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

We killed millions. No one cares.

[shadowmayor]

13. Absolutely

The death and destruction we have rained down on countries all in the name of fighting "terror" is deplorable. If that doesn't make you ashamed of what is done in our country's name, then I suppose nothing will? And on and on it goes.

[AngryAmish]

16. Trump is an asshole. He has yet to kill millions.

But give him time.

[murielm99]

14. My son-in-law is half Chinese.

He is a Canadian citizen. He let his passport lapse. He is afraid to come here.

[virgogal]

19. My daughter in law is Asian----

my grandchildren are 1/2 Asian----------they have never had one ounce of trouble because of their ethnicity.

I don't know where your son-in-law is getting his information but I would advice him to ignore it.

[murielm99]

20. I agree with you.

But he has become paranoid about coming back to this country. No one has been able to change his mind.

[They_Live]

15. I'm afraid to be here and was born here,

but I don't know where to go with my family. This was the first president I can remember that made children cry with fear when he was elected, and it is only getting worse. Our congress and our "pResident" are the biggest threat to my family, and to our culture. It is literally making me sick.

[NNadir]

17. It's making many Americans sick, most Americans I think.

I can't believe I wake up to this crap every morning.

It's worse than I thought it would be, and I thought it would be terrible.