America has a lot to be thankful for as it celebrates another Independence Day. The 4th of July marks a perfect occasion to reflect upon qualities that make the United States the greatest nation in the world.
SECURITY. Our nation is safe, placing protection of its citizens as one of its highest priorities. Brave young men and women volunteer to risk their lives in foreign lands so that we may enjoy the many freedoms that make us the envy of the world. Dedicated police officers and firefighters work daily to safeguard our communities.
OPPORTUNITY. America is a land where young people’s dreams become realities, where the toughest challenges are never unreachable, where anything is possible.
CHOICES. In our free society, choices are endless. Think about it. Americans enjoy a myriad of selections for schools, churches, occupations, where to live, travel, shop, eat, and play. No other country comes close to offering its citizens the countless options available to Americans.
OUR VOTING SYSTEM. Our elections give voice to the public that holds chosen representatives accountable. Referring to the Presidential primaries, Economist.com writes, “In any other country, the incredible circus that has marked the past year could not have occurred. The business of choosing the main contenders for the top job would have been done behind closed doors, or with a limited franchise and a few weeks of campaigning.”
Police in Egypt fired tear gas and rubber bullets at voters and blocked streets and alleys leading to a polling station during December 2005. Last year in Nigeria, riots broke out when electoral officials delivered only half of the ballot papers that should have arrived at local polling stations. A police officer who attempted to stop the theft of a ballot box was beaten with his own club by a gang of thugs and forced to flee. Prior to January 2005 elections in Iraq, Insurgents had vowed to wash the streets with "voters' blood." More than a dozen attacks killed at least 28 people and wounded 71 others.
In America, elections are so routine they are often taken for granted.
EDUCATION. The American education system has the world’s best schools with cutting-edge programs and diverse fields of study, anything from theater to nuclear physics.
A FREE PRESS. John Johnson writes on the website of the U.S. State Department, “For a society to be considered truly democratic, there should be a high degree of protection accorded to the expression of ideas in published form, whether the medium is newspapers, magazines, books, pamphlets, motion pictures, television or, most recently, the Internet. A free press -- even one that occasionally exceeds bounds of good taste -- is essential to the preservation of a democratic society.”
We have such a press in America: informative, entertaining, thought provoking, compelling, watchful, and free, a press that sets us apart from many other countries.
ALTRUISM. During 2003, the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago conducted the first national study measuring altruism and empathy. The study asked about 15 different acts of altruism, including talking with someone who is depressed, helping with housework, giving up a seat to a stranger, giving money to a charity, volunteering, helping someone find a job, or helping in another way, such as lending money. The key finding was that Americans on average give selflessly of themselves more than 100 times a year.
The Wall Street Journal reported, “Americans gave a record amount to charity in 2007, topping $300 billion for the first time, despite mounting economic worries.”
Arthur Brooks, an expert on philanthropy and a professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, calls the United States, “a land of charity,” and considers charitable giving and volunteerism the signal characteristic of Americans.
QUALITY OF LIFE. The editors of International Living say to determine what constitutes quality of life, “Place a premium on the things that can’t be plugged into a spreadsheet.”
It is difficult to top America in the sheer diversity of everything that is good: food, clothing, housing, the environment, infrastructure, health care, education, business, transportation, technology, recreation, culture, leisure, simple comfort.
For these and so many other reasons, our great nation remains a beacon for millions seeking the best lifestyle possible.
Happy Birthday America!
