The Land of Opportunity
When you ask people what they love about this country, you’ll receive a variety of answers:
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My family is here.
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This is where I learned my trade.
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I can build a life and a future here.
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I am free to practice my religion.
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The law is fair and just.
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I feel safe here.
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This country is wealthy.
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This land is beautiful.
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There is room here to follow your dreams.
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Many exciting new things are created here.
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Hard work is rewarded.
These diverse responses highlight the multifaceted nature of our nation. Some of these sentiments may resonate with you, while others might not align with your personal experiences. However, when compared to other countries, many of these statements can be objectively evaluated as true—or, in some cases, false. Does this mean there’s no reason to love the U.S. if we can’t all agree on what constitutes greatness?
What if we now observe cracks in this 250-year-old monument to the experiment of democracy? Can we, the people, lose control of this country? Can this venture fail? Yes, of course it can—but that failure is not inevitable. I’m reminded and inspired by John Steinbeck’s words:
“America did not exist. Four centuries of work, of bloodshed, of loneliness and fear, created this land. We built America, and the process made us Americans—a new breed, rooted in all races, stained and tinted with all colors, a seeming ethnic anarchy. Then, in a little, little time, we became more alike than we were different—a new society; not great, but fitted by our very faults for greatness. E Pluribus Unum.”
—John Steinbeck
We are still a young nation, and each generation must strive anew for that quality that made us unique from the beginning: the idea that no one should be able to determine your course toward happiness. We need to be ready and willing to fight for the changes that expand opportunity for all of us, as many Americans of every generation have always done—not for a return to comfort for those accustomed to it, but for a renewed opportunity for everyone.