One thing about the USA which I appreciate COMPLETELY is FREEDOM OF RELIGION. I have now been in a few countries where there IS no freedom of religion (China, Egypt), and generally speaking, I think that when you restrict how people express themselves, governments actually create new problems. I think the human creature NEEDS to have freedom to live most effectively.
One thing this trip has taught me so far is just how good we have it in the USA. Before I left, I KNEW we "had it good", but now I have a better idea of JUST HOW GOOD we have it compared to so many of our brothers around the world. From paved streets and sidewalks to regular trash collection to toilets that accept toilet paper to homeless shelters to health and safety officers to police who are--by and large--NOT corrupt, to handicapped accessibility to electricity that is online almost 100% of the time, to laws and regulations intended to protect our health and make our cities "more livable". We have all the basics taken care of--we worry about how PRETTY our cities are.
I love my country! I have high hopes that new leadership will correct some of the wrongs of the recent path and put us back in an admired leadership role in the world--not a begrudging acknowledgement, but appreciated--because we do things WELL and we do things RIGHT, not simply because we are rich and get to make big decisions (and when are compared to the rest of the world--we are very, very, VERY rich) .
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday--and appreciate the FREEDOMS that we all take for granted... Daily. There is so much to appreciate about our lives!
4 comments:
I have the exact same sentiment, I couldn't have expressed it better.
Love you.
Amen to that, my wonderful Son. I thought your gratitude for America and the blessings we have here would become more profound and deep as you traveled the world. I don't think you will ever be the same person who left America in October 2007. It took a lot of work and thought and time to get America where we are today philosophically and financially. May we all finally come to honor the dignity and human rights our creator endowed each and every one of us with. Our forefathers spelled it out so well in the American Constitution!!! Happy Independence Day! Mom
Amen, Scott! You have eloquently stated what Ralph and I have known for years. When we (both) served and were stationed overseas, it became very apparent of just how good we do have it here.
And if everyone dislikes the US so much, why do they always try to be more like us?
Happy 4th of July from a desendant of Robert Newman, Sexton of North Church, who was the guy holding the lanterns for Paul Revere.
Amen Scott. Every time I leave the US I'm excited to see the world, yet when I return with a greater sense of peoples and cultures, I'm forever more grateful that I live in such a blessed country.
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