|
Today, I watched a documentary about the Lost Boys of Sudan. The documentary followed their story from when they were living in the refugee camps in Kenya to the beginning of their lives in America. It was an honest and touching story about perseverence, struggle and humanity. One person in the story, John Bul Dau, struck me most as he was the most mature of the group. Working three jobs to send money back to his family in Africa, he spoke about the great opportunities in this country and how many Americans take those opportunities for granted. As I watched his story, I reflected back on my own life. I immigrated to this country as a small child, I grew up in an immigrant family. When my family came to this country, we had no more than $200 in our pockets. I remember that my family of four had to live in a small basement for a couple years until my parents saved up enough to buy a house. I remember as a child, times when we had very little. I remember times when having candy or a treat was considered a luxury. Through many years of hard work and sacrifice, my family was able to move to better neighborhoods and build a life of stability for us. I remember that as a child, my father would never tolerate us not taking our studies seriously, or not aiming for goals in life. I recollect his words very clearly, he was always reminding us about the great opportunities we had in this country. He would say, "Here in America, you have a lot of opportunities that you cannot find anywhere else, it's up to you to take advantage of them, don't let them pass you by". From my humble beginnings, I was able to attend a world class university and then go on to pursue other opportunities. No, my life has not been all smooth and wonderful, I've had my share of trials and tribulations. But whatever mistakes I have made, have been my own and have been good learning experiences. In other nations, it is also possible to go from a humble background and achieve great things. However, in very few other nations is that story so prevalent. Which leads me to the other point of my story. Several years ago when the Bush administration was moving the country towards the invasion, I had begun to be involved with anti-war activism. I felt the urge to stand up and do something because I was resolutely against the war on all grounds. First, it was an illegal war based on false premises. Secondly, the war was against our national interests, it would drain our economy and sacrifice both American and Iraqi lives needlessly. Third, I was against the idea of a small group of previleged and sheltered individuals creating so much harm against those who were poor and underprevileged. It was not only an illegal war but a great social injustice. I identified with many Leftists who were against the war based on these same grounds. I was actively involved with opposing the war. However, as the war dragged on throughout the years, I became more exposed to their many other views. It was then that I began to drift away. The far left have a view of America that was very different from the one I experienced. It was an America that was stagnant and static. A society where a powerful ruling class denied opportunities against every one else based on economic class and race. It was a society where those who worked hard would never go anywhere because they were held down by the system. It seemed to me that they were far more focused on taking away from the rich, than seizing the opportunity to join the rich. It was done in the name of populism, but what I saw was more "blame the rich for taking what is rightfully ours". Their America was not the America I have known. The America I have known has been a generous country, a country where the child of poor immigrants, with no connections or previleges, can attain a world class education and access great opportunities. America is a country where someone can not only dare to dream, but is allowed the tools to make those dreams happen. America is a country where change can happen, where progress can occur. No, I am not saying that America is perfect. As an avid student of history, I am well aware of the many historical injustices that plague our nation's history as well as those of many current policies. Yes, I am angered by many things in our country, from great inequalities that continue to hinder many in our society to the great hypocrisies that taint our national discourse on foreign policy issues. However, it is also my conviction that what is good about America far outweighs what is bad about America. It is my belief that the American system is one that allows immeasurable opportunities for individuals to not only create and enjoy wealth, but to also make the most out of themselves, whethere in a personal, spiritual or social capacity. America is a unique place where many around the world have come to not only live their dreams but to share that dream with their new country, and we are all enriched by it. Today, I consider myself an independent. There are issues where I definitely agree with the left or even the far left. There are issues where I agree with the right. I still believe that government has a role to play in our society, but I also believe there is a fine line between that role and becoming a hindrance to society. I believe that America is a special country, at the same time, I also believe that we need to apply the criticism and standards we place on other countries unto ourselves as well. To me, America is a great land of opportunity. Many Americans who are rooted in many generations in this country cannot see this opportunity because that is all they have known. If you lived in a surrounding of palatial luxury your entire life, would you know the feeling of cold or hunger? No. Perhaps simply not enjoying your favorite dessert for one day would be considered a grave injustice. Only when one has undergone great perseverance, can they truly relish the opportunities they are given. However, although America is a land of opportunity, those opportunities will not simply fall on your lap, but they are to be seized. With every opportunity seized, others will multiply. However, for those who are unafraid of sacrifice and revel at the opportunity to improve themselves, there is no country that is more generous and more fair. That is the America I know, and whenever I feel that I am starting to take things for granted, I always remember those words from my father admonishing me. "Son, you are in America, there is great opportunity all around you".
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed