I have spent the last few months watching and wondering when Patriotism and love of country became such a divisive subject.
I grew up with staunch Democrats for grandparents who always voted Republican. My Father was a conservative Republican and my mother a Liberal Democrat. What I remember most during political arguments "and there were many always loud and heated", was that the good of the Nation came first, followed by the character and qualifications of the candidate not the political party they represented.
We now seem to have chosen Political Party over Country and all anyone has to do is use buzz words such as conservative, liberal, left,religious right, pro choice or immigrant and depending on our "Party Affiliation" our ears our minds and our hearts immediately close. We mentally file people in the "Us and Them" file drawers and then we close the drawer on meaningful dialog or even conversation.
I classify myself as a social liberal and a fiscal conservative. I believe that both political parties now only serve their own self interest or that of the highest bidder.
I think now is probably a good time to state what I believe.
1) I believe the United States is the greatest county ever founded.
2) I believe our strength came from our diversity but our diversity had the common goal of creating a Nation dedicated to freedom justice and prosperity through hard work.
3) I believe in legal immigration to all who want to become Americans. They should join our melting pot, not because they want to change the menu entirely, but because they desire to add to the nutritional value, and maybe a hint of new cultural spice to keep our "Great American Soup" the daily meal that sustains our work ethic, our moral compass, and our historical drive to be the best.
4) I believe that Public Office should not be a career but a duty we happily and solemnly serve to the best of our ability as a small payment we make not to preserve our own freedom, but as a debt we owe to our Forefathers and to our children, and as a thank you and a promise to leave all the Americans that are to follow a strong Nation that will provide them freedom, the opportunity, and maybe the most important of all, the inspiration to become exceptional.
I am not a great American. I am not an exceptional American. I may not be a particularly good American but I take this opportunity to Pledge "My Life, My fortune, and My sacred Honor" not only to her defense but in daily maintenance of her Honor, her Compassion, her Innovation, her Work ethic and her Justice.
So without hesitation my decedents and all future citizens can even more proudly proclaim "I am an American and I Love the United States of America.
