THANKS, AMERICA!
The United States of America
Just saying the name of our country still produces goose bumps in me, thirty plus years after arriving as a wide-eyed college student. Any rendition of the national anthem, even the infamous and tortured ones, turns me into emotional mush. Such has been the powerful and transformative impact of this extraordinary nation and its people.
The gravitational pull of America began exerting itself on me during the 1970s while I was a student in India. I would listen to the Voice of America radio broadcasts and be instantly transported to a wonderful place that stood in sharp contrast to the socio-political environment in which I was growing up. American movies, particularly Westerns, became a staple of my entertainment diet. They exemplified the American ethos of rugged individualism, can-do spirit, and eagerness to help those who were weak and defenseless. The personal freedom and limitless opportunities embodied in America cast a seductive spell over me.
I was not aware then of the uniqueness of the American Constitution but having lived here for so many years I now have a much stronger appreciation of its greatness and what American exceptionalism truly means. The exceptionalism is a reference to the high ideals, especially the exalted view of individual rights and liberty, enshrined in our Constitution. Even the Founding Fathers were, in my opinion, not able to fully live up to these ideals. The bar has been set that high! For us to achieve that promise and vision of America requires a vigilant, informed, and involved citizenry – a citizenry that is both deeply appreciative and highly protective of its unique and enviable inheritance.
Even after living in the United States for so long I remain unabashedly a proud and grateful American. I also remain optimistic because of my unshakeable faith in the decency, common sense and wisdom of the average American. These are qualities that I witness every day, and from which I have benefited innumerable times and immeasurably. I choose to remember these good qualities, and savor these experiences of the American character, even as the daily news feeds and public discourses serve to highlight all that is supposedly wrong and disappointing in our country.
I hope that a majority of my fellow-Americans appreciate how fortunate they are to be in the land that millions of others can only dream of. And whether you are dreaming of America, as I did during the 1970s, or are already blessed to be living in America, I hope that, during this week of Thanksgiving, you can join me in saying “Thanks America!”
Beautiful post. We should always focus on our country's strengths and intrinsic goodness. Only then, together we can fix the things that need improvement.
Customer Feedback Architect & Survey Consultant
8 年Very nice post, Kumar Chittipeddi. We who were born here take so much for granted. Let me share a moment in the twilight of my teaching days at Bryant. The first day of teaching after defending my dissertation, the students in one class asked how I did and they gave me a nice round of applause. I thanked them, but added that one of their fellow students just had an important right of passage. Ann was a Vietnamese boat baby -- literally. She had asked me permission to miss the previous class because she was taking the oath to become a US citizen. (Compare that to the typical missed-class excuses...) I asked the class to recognize that one of their compatriots now had the rights of citizenship that most of take for granted. The students gave her applause, but I could on their faces that some didn't understand why. Ann was embarrassed at the recognition, but I've never regretted doing it. She and you have an understanding of America of which we all should be reminded.