Happy Fourth of July!

I became a US citizen in December 2020. It was an immense honor and gift to become a US citizen by choice. As I wrote in a USA Today op-ed at the time:

In today’s America it almost feels subversive to be proud of becoming — or being — a U.S. citizen. We are in the middle of a national conversation about the true origin and character of our nation. Some insist on debasing America’s origins by asserting that it was fundamentally based on slavery and began in 1619. Others assert that bold but flawed people came together to form America in 1776. That this was the true beginning of an unprecedented experiment that included injustices, yet consistently strives to improve and live up to its stated ideals. 

I agree more with that second group of people as the United States is continually improving and has a redemptive arc to its story. The key values of America are the same ones that in the Declaration of Independence signed 248 years to this date: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. And they are built over the strong pillars of freedom, meaning, and the national ethos of the American Dream which is the vision statement for the United States, where people seek to live better, richer, and fuller lives.

One of my favorite quotes in relation to being an American comes from Ronald Reagan from a letter someone gave him as he was nearing the end of his presidency:

“You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.''

I certainly felt that way when I became a citizen and the feeling was deepened a couple of months after that because of a gift my friend Mort Taylor gave me. Three years ago in 2021 was my first fourth of July as an American citizen and I couldn't have been prouder and more excited to celebrate my first Independence Day. Mort is a true American original and is in love with the American Dream and the story of America as much as I am. He really liked my USA Today op-ed about becoming an American, and other articles I had written about the American Dream. So he and his wife shared them with their friend and school teacher Lee Stayer, who taught at th at Advent Episcopal School in Birmingham, Alabama.

A few weeks later Mort asked me if I received a package in the mail. I didn't know what he meant but after a few days I received a package from Mrs. Stayer. Unexpectedly and unbeknownst to me, Mrs. Stayer used my articles and story to teach her third grade class about civics and American citizenship. The package Mort was talking about included 23 letters from her students congratulating me on becoming a citizen. It seems like she taught them well as they focused on showing love for their country, were proud of being American, and highlighted the importance of freedom and voting. We read all the letters as a family and felt very humbled and moved by all their best wishes. You can see a few letters in the pics below and I have a feeling you will like Olive's the most, hahaha.

I replied to each of them individually and we scheduled a zoom call a couple of weeks later where I met the whole class and answered their great questions. Coincidentally, it was the last day of class and Mrs. Stayer's last year of teaching as she was actually retiring that day.

There are many things that are great about this country. This selfless gesture of people like Mort (who I’m sure won’t like me sharing this too much), his wife, and Mrs. Stayer is one of those many things. But even though it was an amazing act of kindness from them, acts like that and stories like mine are the rule and not an exception. This country is full of amazing people and amazing stories despite many challenges that we all still need to overcome.

We must continue striving to remove barriers to the American Dream and to the promise set forth in the Declaration of Independence. Here's to the land of the free and the home of the brave where people are just pursuing better, richer and fuller lives, regardless of where they are coming from or where they are starting.

Happy Independence Day America!