Free and open markets, meritocratic practices, coupled with fair and equal opportunity constitute the fundamental ingredients that underpin our extraordinarily high standard of living here in America. Yet there exist people in this country who want to thwart — if not completely overthrow — our system of government and its economic orientation. This boggles my mind: America is the best show in town. This is why so many people around the globe seek asylum here; it is evidenced by the prevalence of so many American university T-shirts donned by myriad young people — why blue jeans, denim jackets, and country music are so prized and coveted.
The detractors and haters deride our system while being protected by the very constitutional rights and principles they seek to upend. This doesn’t make sense and smacks of hypocrisy. Ultimately, it’s about patriotism and allegiance and the lack thereof. Why is this, one might ask? Is it some form of jealousy and material resentment — the inability to keep up with the proverbial Joneses?
What is wrong with celebrating America and its many successes? As the 250th anniversary of our republic approaches, we should pause and give thanks to what we have here in this amazing melting pot of civilization, this City upon the Hill. No country in the world is as diversified and as open as we are here in the U.S. Let’s put our differences aside and acknowledge the virtues and resiliency of our open and free system of government.
Brad Brigham
Colrain