My America

[Alawen Everywhere]

These are hard times in America. Our economy is in disarray and many of us are out of work. Some of us have even lost our homes. Our manufacturing capacity is diminished. We are at odds with ourselves over two unpopular wars with no end in sight. Our immigration policies are troublesome. Our political process is overrun by special interests and we have lost faith in our politicians. We are watching a corporation from another nation destroy our southern shores.

It has become fashionable to discuss the fall of the American empire. Intellectuals compare us to Rome and nod wisely at one another.

So easily we forget what is right with America. Despite our shortcomings and failures, this remains the greatest experiment in the history of the world. We are the bright light of liberty and justice. We continue to believe in the rule of law and the rights of man.

Even as our corporations are villified, they are creating technologies to help feed a hungry world, produce cleaner energy, expand communications to all mankind and protect both our allies and our enemies from barbarism and destruction. Even as our educational institutions are disdained, they attract and educate the brightest minds from all countries and cultures, helping to develop tomorrow's leaders and entrepeneurs and philanthropists.

When there is disaster and hardship in the world, America is the first to stand up and offer help. Year after year, this country accused of greed and selfishness digs deep and sends out more aid than any other in the form of our young volunteers, our soldiers, our food and our financial assistance. We stand accused of exploiting the world's poor, yet it is we who help more than any other to develop industry, education and democracy in the poorest countries.

We are accused of racism and xenophobia, yet our doors are open and we are the melting pot of the whole world. She still stands there, Lady Liberty, in New York Harbor, welcoming the world's outcast and downtrodden. The teaming masses bypass our system and we do our best to accommodate them. We take them into our hospitals and cure them when they are sick, educate their children and make them citizens, and help them build a better life than the one they left.

The American dream is still alive. We can all feel it, deep down, a fire that we all share, burning in our bellies. We will overcome these dark days. Our system of life promotes individualism and creativity. We will rebuild our industries and infrastructure. We will drive the corruption from our government. We will develop technologies to create clean energy. We will fix our health care system. And, yes, we will conquer the stars. We are Americans and we don't know how to give up. We know how to dream and strive and make those dreams come true.

My name is Alawen Everywhere, and I am proud to be an American patriot.