I am proud to be an American, and proud of this nation’s history, culture, and accomplishments! America is a melting pot of immigrants who brought rich heritages to our shores, became immersed in American culture, and worked hard to achieve the American Dream.
My first ancestor came to this continent ten generations ago, and the arrival of my most recent ancestor was four generations ago, so I consider myself an American-American! As far as I am concerned, the United States of America is the best country in the world. The modern American Dream is a simple promise that hard work can earn a good life, a good job with decent pay and security, and a secure retirement. We must be doing something right, since people from around the world continue to flock to this land of opportunity.
Our Declaration of Independence recorded our founding principles: All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, among them are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Our Founding fathers then designed the governmental practices in our Constitution based on Judeo-Christian traditions, values, morals and ethics. Government was designed to serve its citizens and federal government was designed to serve the States. Key design principles are individual freedom, personal ownership and responsibility. Our classless society enables mobility up and down the economic ladder. Part of our culture is self-sufficiency, compassion for less fortunate, and taking care of our own citizens. Charity is also an American value and a welfare safety net was added to provide temporary relief for citizens until able to fully participate on their own. American people are basically good, moral, individualists who are also proud of their country.
Ronald Reagan called America "a shining city on a hill," and characterized its promise, as well as its peoples, as boundless. Many study this country to try to understand why it has been successful where other countries have failed. The most visible measure of American Exceptionalism is the continued press of immigration. Visitors are always welcome, as long as they take care of their own needs for shelter, food, healthcare, education, transportation etc. Those who desire to stay permanently to assimilate into our culture and economy can apply for citizenship. Immigration is not a “right;” it is a “privilege” granted by the citizens of that country. I am angry that the administration has decided to open up the floodgates of immigration and extended eligibility for public welfare benefits to non-citizens, both legal and illegal. Uncontrolled immigration in Europe to people who refuse to assimilate has eroded their national culture and laws. In this country illegal aliens and changing demographics are conspiring to fundamentally change the character of this nation permanently.
Americans have always recognized that our brand of government is not perfect, but better than any of the alternatives. We can learn and evolve as a nation, but in my opinion this country is losing its moral clarity and must return to its original common sense approach to governing. We must return to an America first approach to governing, taking care to focus on our citizens first. The privilege of immigration must be reserved for people who want to share in our strengths, not change our country to be like the one they left, and must include assimilation requirements of a common language, culture, and government for all citizens, old and new alike. We cannot afford to expand our public welfare safety net to non-citizens. We also must close immigration loopholes, such as anchor babies awarding citizenship to anyone born in this country irrespective of circumstances or parental citizenship. Rights of citizenship are protected in the Constitution and must not be amended for political gain. The American Dream is still alive and well, a beacon of freedom, and will always attract new immigrants to be future productive citizens.
Dave Coughlin recently retired from IBM after 31 years. He is now a political pundit who manages his web site “Return to Common Sense” and is an active member of the White Plains Tea Party. He was educated at West Point (Bachelor of Science, 1971) and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (Masters, Administrative Science, 1976). He currently resides with his wife in Hawthorne, NY.
