I grew up with not a lot of material things, but I had these wonderful people who surrounded me. Not only did I have these giant people in my family, but I also had giants who owned and protected the neighborhood. Some of them were little old ladies who let my parents know our every move…good and bad. I had teachers who knew my parents, my aunts, and my grandparents. I had soldiers who had returned home from wars to protect America. They understood why people were always trying to come to America. They knew what other countries did to their citizens and what corrupt governments did to their citizens. They understood the importance of fair and free elections…and, the preciousness of the vote and why people in our own country were willing to risk their lives to get it. These honest, hardworking, America-loving people were everywhere.
They were not rich, and wealth was not their first priority…for most I don’t think it was a priority at all. They simply wanted to make a good living. They believed in the power of perseverance, love, good deeds, respect, lawfulness, family, and America. A good Communist or dictator were unimaginable concepts. Being judged by the content of their character, and not the color of their skin, their religion, their gender, or a litany of other things was a dream for many…but not an unattainable dream. Most thought cheating, stealing, lying, greed, unfair play, or thinking you were superior were far worse infractions than heavy drink or a leaning for immoral fancy.
They wanted the best for their children and their neighbors. They saw our children as America’s future. They saw their neighbors as their community. And, they thought America was the best thing going. So much so they were willing to go to wars and come back and work to make our America dream possible. With all of it’s imperfections, they knew America and its freedoms were precious and worth fighting for. They loved this country ’tis of thee.
I am so proud to be of that breed. Are you? Are your friends? How about your family?
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