My fellow voters:
I might post this again, but let me tell you what the United States of America means to me:
With deference to President Reagan, I will borrow 2 of his analogies and then give a few thoughts of my own...he said that America "is a shining city upon a hill" and I agree with him. Here's why:
There has never been a country like America. We are a great nation, a nation of people who have been discounted, spit upon, exiled, punished and over-regulated. We are a nation that "shocked the world" and defeated the most powerful military in the world during the American Revolution. We were common people...farmers, business owners, fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, laborers, all united for one cause...the cause of freedom. We became the hope for all mankind and we still are.
Our nation fought a brutal civil war that would have torn apart any other nation on earth...but through the wisdom of our leaders and the Divine hand of Providence, we eventually united as a nation...battered, but all of us, American. We fought against racism and won. We fought for womens rights, and won. We fought 2 World Wars and we won them both. Americans have fought both on our land and foreign land to protect those who seek freedom...our brave men and women have died, fighting for what makes America so great. We have freed nations and given freedom to millions of people throughout the world. We are the only nation on earth to have a Constitution that has endured for so long and remains an example for Democratic Republics everywhere. We are a nation of people, blessed by God and united by a common cause: freedom.
President Reagan, as we know, gave many great speeches...all of them memorable. But there was one story, one line in particular that defined for me what the world truly thinks about our great nation (story abbreviated):
It was at the height of the boat people. Our Navy was patrolling off the waters in the Pacific and they saw some people in a boat and went to help them. One of the men on the boat called out: "Hello, American Sailor. Hello, Freedom man". Those last 2 words say it all..."Freedom man".
Our nation is brand new in the history of mankind, yet we have sacrificed so much and contributed so much more for the betterment of humanity. We are all Americans, we are all "freedom men". After the attack of 9/11, my father, an immigrant, told me that he truly felt American and that our enemies needed to be defeated. Our nation rose as a whole to defeat the attack on the fundamental value of America...our freedom. We rose, as Americans.
My friends, this is OUR America. We are the greatest nation in the world...the envy of mankind. People don't die trying to leave our country, they die trying to come here. We are the only country who can say that we have defeated Fascism, Nazism, Totalitarianism and Communism...yes we had help, the help of many great friends and allies...but it was America, her soldiers, her spirit, her people and her ingenuity that made the world a safer place. Which other country in the world is as diverse as the USA, let alone New York City? Which nation can assimilate so many different people and become stronger as a result?
President Reagan was right, America is truly a shining city upon a hill. But for me, America is home....we are the last great hope for mankind. For me, and millions of others, America is freedom.
God bless our nation and God bless you all.
