I get notes these days from people who want to give up on America. They say its best days are over. So, I got to thinking about this. Having traveled a fair amount, I’ve seen how other parts of the world live in Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, South America, New Zealand, and most of the continental United States. I’ve raised children in the north and the south. With this in mind, I began to think about why I believe America is still the best place on earth, even with our many issues.
In our country, you can do BASE jumping, which is part-skydiving and part cliff jumping. If you want, there are guides who will tandem jump with you. Americans are either adventurous enough or crazy enough to do extreme sports-and; there are people who make a living by helping us do these things. What makes this possible? We have a free society where you can aspire to fulfill your dreams. You can earn money, save it, and go on a bucket list trip. Our country does not regulate every aspect of your life or tell you what you can be. If you want to climb Denali (aka Mt. McKinley) in Alaska, have at it. You say you can’t afford the ten grand for an expedition. The idea is that the possibility exists. Who knew the daughter of a steel mill laborer would end up traveling to several continents? Yes, right now, our freedoms are curtailed, but they have not entirely ended. The pandemic will cease. Even if restrictions remain, you are still in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
There are people right now who would sign up to go to Mars. In fact, Perseverance Rover just landed on Mars. Americans have always laid eyes on the new frontier. My 6th graders were glued to the monitor watching the landing. These kids have the technology at their disposal to inspire and build their dreams. As a people, we love the exploration of the unknown. Freedom makes that possible in this country.
If you wonder if hope got up and left the country, take a look at the National Inventors Hall of Fame. There you will see what Americans are doing with their desire to make the world a better place to live.
We create and make things to sell.
We are a people of persistence.
We are hard workers.
We don’t take “no” for an answer.
We have been a faithful and a confident people.
Now is not the time to shirk back and give up.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship.??
