Did you know there were five principles of Amateur Radio written into the law that is Part 97?  Those principles are:

    (a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service
to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service,
particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.
    (b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to
contribute to the advancement of the radio art.
    (c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through
rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and
technical phases of the art.
    (d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio
service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.
    (e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to
enhance international goodwill.

It would seem that we aren't just using our airwaves for emergency communications like some people would have us believe.  We can actually go out and enjoy our bands without feeling guilty!