It’s Independence Day. 

I am reminded why I, an immigrant, love the USA…..

Opportunities are real: It is no exaggeration that this is a land of opportunity. Men and women of all ages, racial groups, ethnic groups, from scores of nations have “made it” here in the USA. 

Freedom is real: I can, I do, hold opposing political views of some close friends. Like i think I do, they have very good reasons for voting the way they vote and believe what they believe.

Resilience is real: It is a credit to this nation that vast extremes find simultaneous representation and hundreds of millions of people are able to “hold the tension” such extremes deliver. 

I have visited several nations where extremes would not be tolerated. It is my experience that in the USA one can be “left of Bernie and right of Rush” and find a welcome and acceptance with neighbors who reject both. (For those outside the USA Bernie is a US senator known for left wing views. Rush was a national radio personality considered by many to represent the far-right.)    

I am on rare occasions asked why I don’t typically post political content. First, a son asked me not to. Then, people vote how they vote for far deeper reasons than is likely to be influenced by social media. I seek no debate. I post this today because I do want my friends to know why I love the USA as much as I also love the land of my  birth – I have lived exactly half my life in each.

Posted on July 4, 2025 at 7:49 am in Difficult Relationships   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL