I'm angry. There. I said it. At the beginning of this semester, I had given up on America. I was let down and filled with a desire to prove I could rise above the "American" stereotypes permeating my life.

The last straw came when a friend of mine -- recently finishing an internship with the U.S. Congress -- told me that a woman should never (and will never) be president. Initially, I laughed that off. Mainly because I couldn't believe a highly educated student would actually feel that way. But, the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.

His comment rolled around in my brain and only became louder when I returned to Penn State in January. Every day was a never-ending stream of evidence for why this country was moving backward instead of forward:

Gays shouldn't marry. White students deserve their own special scholarship. Mel Gibson's Passion is about faith, not money. George Bush is a great president because he led us to Iraq. Images of 9/11 should be used for election campaigns. Martha Stewart deserves jail, but those Enron guys don't. Janet Jackson's boob is more important than anything since, well, I don't know, Bill and Monica.

America was founded on basic principles: human rights, freedom of speech, acceptance, tolerance and responsibility -- among many others. And yet, these very issues have polarized our country. Hadn't I always been taught that America was the greatest place in the world? When I stood for the Pledge of Allegiance, it was an ode to the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Wasn't it?

The very first column I wrote this semester was about the culture shock I was experiencing as a result of my return from a semester in London. Like I expected, that preliminary shock faded away. But, my disillusionment with the United States did not.

It's been like that life-altering moment when we have to accept that our visions of reality aren't always true. It's similar to the disappointment you feel when your best friend, who you thought would always be by your side, doesn't support you through the toughest time in your life. Or, the day you realize the things you once placed high on a pedestal don't quite measure up.

That's my relationship with America. I was angry because the country no longer seemed so special. The pedestal I had placed the country upon couldn't support my criticisms.

As we reach the home stretch of the semester, we are so busy with tests, papers and finals that the bigger picture doesn't seem quite as important. Our day-to-day life is fairly happy -- after all, our country isn't involved in a war or anything.

Wouldn't that be nice if that were true? But, the cold, hard facts are impossible to ignore. Since the start of the war in Iraq, more than 600 U.S. servicemen have died, as well as countless more Iraqi civilians. Recently, however, I've begun to realize that getting angry at America isn't helping to stop the death toll in Iraq.

Even still, does anyone even care about this stuff? Is anyone else as angry as I am? Watching Condoleezza Rice testify before the 9/11 commission last week might have been a sign that maybe America does care.

That's the thing. We want to know what happened prior to Sept. 11. We want to know why we went to a war that's so out of control. Eventually, I hope, we'll get our answers. But, it's nice to know that we're caring enough to ask questions. I often listen to my classmates complain that the same issues circulate in the pages of The Daily Collegian. They ask, "Can't people just let the gay marriage issue die?"

To that I say, "No." We can't let issues die. Otherwise, we become complacent. We forget that open dialogue and conversation help us find answers. If we don't talk about the things that affect our lives as Americans, we'll just be angry.

And anger isn't helping anyone at all.

I hope that we keep talking and searching for answers. In November, we have the opportunity for change that many Americans take for granted: the chance to vote. The presidential election is our chance to demand answers. If we are angry, we can channel our energy into supporting change.

And if you feel America is great, just the way it is, have a conversation about what really matters to you with someone who doesn't agree. At the very least, you'll have a healthy debate and agree to disagree.

Most importantly, I don't think we are hopeless. Progress is being made. On May 17, my home state of Massachusetts will be the first to recognize same-sex marriage. Even if Gov. Mitt Romney tries to issue an executive order to prevent the marriages, a step has been made in the right direction.

As Americans, that's all we can ask.