What Makes America Great?

As I ask this question, I find myself pondering the answer much longer than one would expect. Of course the usual answers come to mind-Life, Liberty, Freedom, Doughnuts! But as I reflect deeper on the question, I begin to realize that these are oddly some of the same things that have contributed greatly to America's current decline (including the doughnuts!).

In no way do I not feel like we live in the greatest country on the earth! It just seems to me that the very things that made us great are now lost or maybe just misplaced. Somewhere through the course of time we became so obsessed with catering to the minorities of a country that we forgot about the rights of every man. Our rights have been sacrificed for the next man's. Jefferson wrote in our Declaration of Independence that "All men are created equal." Arguably, there has never been a more important phrase in the history of this country. Simply put, every one of us has the exact same rights as any other American. The right to live, to go out and work, the right to purchase our own health care, the right to pray in school. Just as someone else has the right to not work, not pray, or not have health care. The question is "when do their rights begin to impede on mine?" I am my brother's keeper, but not his babysitter. The only things that we are actually entitled to are "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." In essence, if I want a better life it is up to me to go out and seize the opportunity. Not to wait for my government to give it to me.

Is that what makes America great? The fact that we can go out and be anything we want to be in this country if we set our mind to it. America is the greatest experiment of all time. The "great melting pot". And even though some choose to hold on to their heritage as Italian-Americans, Jewish-Americans, Native-Americans, or African-Americans, we all still have one common thread that binds us. We are all Americans! With the exact same opportunities as the man sitting next to you on the bus or train.

Early on in this country our founders knew that this was our chance to build a country like none the world had ever seen. And through the blood, sweat and tears of our ancestors the dream of America became a reality. But it seems in recent years we have lost one very important trait that helped build this country. Responsibility-for-self. One hundred years ago if you came to this country on a boat and expected someone to feed you, clothe you, and give you money for no reason you would have been dead on the street in a month. But instead, Our forefathers rose to something greater. They worked hard. They became Americans!

So through all of my back and forth I believe that I have discovered my answer. It is the people of America that make it great. The greatness of our forefathers to give us a strong constitution and a government that has allowed democracy. The greatness of our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents that helped forge a nation that we are proud and blessed to live in. And finally, the greatness of the people today that stand for their beliefs and help our fellow man remember exactly what it is that makes America the greatest nation ever!