Think about how the Eisenhower era resisted the hippies. And how the hippies hated the rise of the yuppies in the '80's. And now, think about how Gen X tends to dislike the hipsters. There's constant cycle of a younger generation rebelling from the older, and the older generation resisting it.

Why? Because our identities are created like the layers of an onion. At the core, we have our own likes and dislikes, and the next layer is shaped by our families, and the next is our friends. And this works outward, and national identity is one of those layers, like it or not.

We have invested a lot of time in ourselves and the world around us. And when we become invested in institutions, like religion, or political idealogy, we feel good and safe, because those institutions are larger than us. They seem like they will last forever. That gives us a sense of immortality. Yes, you or I may never be famous or leave a great mark, but we helped the momentum of whatever cause we believed in and that cause will outlive us. It may seem silly, but we can probably imagine feeling good about leaving a house behind for our kids - we get a similar feeling from institutions - something worthwhile left behind.

When these things come under threat, we defend them, because our identities are tied into them. I never rallied for abortion rights, but if mood of the country causes the scotus to outlaw them, I would feel the blow. The fabric of the nation I want to see - that I am invested in, is suddenly changed and that hurts.

So, even though Stanhope says it's silly to feel pride about helping the French defeat the Nazis because we weren't there, he's missing the big picture. I had no impact on that victory, but that victory has had an impact on me. It changed the large institutions, which I am invested in. It changed attitutes, which were passed down to me. I'm glad that part of history is part of my identity. And I want to be proud, because I want to be proud of the things I am invested in.