Even in America! - September 30, 2001

Over and over we have been reminded - and we have done some of the reminding - things are just better in America!   And I am not just referring to ice, iced tea, coffee, and  chocolate!   When you compare our standard of living to the rest of the world, when you compare our health care to the rest of the world,  when you compare our food supply to the rest of the world, when you compare our infrastructure, when you compare our efficiency, when you compare our work ethic, and in many cases when you compare our education to the rest of the world - we in America fare pretty well in the comparisons.

    Is that part of the reason that Macedonians long to come to the United States?  The unemployment rate of Macedonia currently runs over 40 percent.  That factor alone should make the U.S. look fairly desirable!

    The broader truth is:
If you woke up this morning healthy, you are much better off than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the fear and loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pain of starvation, you are better off than 500 million people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are more comfortable than 75% of the people in this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, spare change in a drawer, you are among the top 8% of the world's most wealthy people.
If you can read this, remember that there are over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

    So yes, life in America by most standards of measure is exceptional.  However, to the hungry children of America these statistics don’t have any flavor or nutritional value.   To the jobless father of four,   these statistics may feel like a free pass for others to merely look the other way and ignore his needs.  To the blue collar workers that have seen Wall Street flourish and their 401k’s dwindle; life in America can feel very unfair. To the health insurance premium payer who sees their premiums and deductibles sky rocket year after year,  corporate America may seem greedy and out of control.

    We have our ups and downs - even in America!
    We have our justices and injustices - even in America!
    We have our victories and our losses - even in America!
    We have our joys and sorrows - even in America!

    We are not guaranteed utopia - even in America! 

    But hopefully, we do not accept the status quo in America!  Hopefully we do not rest on our laurels in America!  Hopefully we yearn for equity, opportunity, and excellence in America!  In America, hopefully we dream, serve, care, and achieve!

    Therefore,  we must focus on effectiveness, truth, justice.....  the American way!

    With tongue in cheek I share my “Oh my word” of this day:

    Today is September 30th and TODAY a September 25th scan appears for the first time in the tracking of Jen’s birthday mailing!  The Chicago facility had scanned her packet on 9/25.....  it just didn’t show up in the computer scan report for FIVE DAYS!   Go figure, even in America - some things don’t work like they are supposed and nobody can figure it out.   And so far I have had no responses from USPS customer service representatives regarding the mailing.

    So with an “oh my word” I smile and remember like the post office clerk that assisted me on  September 22  had assured me - “everything in the U.S. is better.  We don’t know how good we have it here!”

    I hope the majority of Americans are willing to commit to - “let’s give our best” for the U.S. and to the rest of the world too!  Don’t stand for mediocrity.  Stand for excellence, fairness, and compassion!