As we Americans sit watching our soldiers die in wars that might have been prevented years ago and our economy faces the greatest deficit in history with no sign of getting better any time soon, it’s important that we not take the problems we see with our government policies to mean that the U.S.has somehow failed as a country.

This country is going through a hard time, as it has several times throughout its long and varied history. It probably will again.

Have we made mistakes?

Yes, of course we have; we are humans. There is not a nation on this earth that does not have something shameful in its past. Bloody revolutions, holy wars and mass genocides haunt every group of people who have ever called themselves a country.

We are quick to forgive and forget the shortcomings of the nations around us. Why shouldn’t we do the same for ourselves?

The moments the U.S. fails to completely live up to its ideals of freedom, equality, democracy are just that — moments. Our “way of life” is not our laws, policies or even our history.

Rather, it is all these things and so much more. It is our faith in democracy.

People acting together will ultimately choose good over evil, fairness over oppression. It is our belief in helping those who are suffering and our continued hope the actions we take will be the right ones.

Sometimes these very qualities get us into trouble. Sometimes we make the wrong choice. We give aid to those we shouldn’t and fail to support those who desperately need it.

These times are unfortunate but they don’t change the fact we have the power to make the world a better and freer place.

This is a fact we should be proud of; a reality we’ll do anything to defend.

Apologize for our actions when they are wrong? Of course. Apologize for who we are? Never.

It is important for us to acknowledge all the embarrassing, awful things we have done in the past and try to make amends. It is equally important we move on and not let ourselves believe we are somehow permanently flawed or tainted.

We make amends, we move on and we try to do better in the future. We’ve already proven we can. Two hundred years ago, large numbers of people were treated as property. A hundred years ago, half the population couldn’t vote or keep their wages. Fifty years ago, innocent citizens were being blacklisted for their politics.

Our country did those things. But our country also declared those things were wrong. We’ve had protests, court cases and demonstrations. When our core beliefs clashed with our national policy, we have fixed it.

That’s the way democracy works. In a system that relies on the choices of millions of people, mistakes are going to happen. When the crisis is over and the problem is solved, there is nothing left to feel embarrassed about.

We can chalk it up to experience and move on, proud of ourselves for having the courage to change what we felt was wrong and proud that we live in a country we can improve when we need to.

So let’s stop with “America is bad,” people. That’s not true. As cliché as it is, America is pretty darn awesome.

Click here to read The Daily's Jerod Coker's take on nationalism