I've set my status to "Proud to be an American," and a good friend pointed out that I should be proud every day to be an American, because we're very lucky to live in this country.

With no disrespect intended to my esteemed colleague, "pride" is something that needs clarification. Pride doesn't mean "glad." I'm glad to be an American every day. I'm grateful to be an American. But Pride goeth before a fall. Pride is a sin (whether you're a Christian, Muslim, Scientologist, or atheist, it's no less true).

Pride is similar to respect in that it must be continually earned. Pride comes from accomplishment, and this week I'm proud to stand alongside the 64,043,290 Americans who voted for the kid from Kenya with the funny name. We have accomplished something great as a nation this week. We've told the world we're ready to change.

If we walk around proud every day, pride becomes hubris. Most days I'm humble to be an American. I've even made t-shirts and bumper stickers to this effect, but they're not big sellers. To me, it's a given that I live in the greatest country in the world; although greatness is relative and as soon as one says, "I'm great," one automatically becomes somewhat less great. How can I take pride in something that's given to me?[1] I'm grateful to be an American. It's a gift that I feel I must earn every day. This week, as a nation, we earned it.

1.) This is why I disagree with the notion of racial pride in general.