To the editor:
Why were you and I so lucky?
This month I met with former Indiana governor and president of Purdue University, Mitch Daniels. My first comment was: “Mitch, you and I have lived through the greatest years in the history of the United States of America. Why was our generation so lucky?” He responded: “I don’t know.”
Having traveled throughout the world during my career, I witnessed the living conditions in Europe, China, the Sudan, Ethiopia, Syria, Nigeria, Mexico, Venezuela and in many other countries. As a result, I fully appreciate the incredible blessing we received when our Creator chose each of us to become citizens of the United States of America. I would not want to live in any other country on this planet!
Much of our world is controlled by dictators who promised utopia to their citizens — then, after gaining political power, they destroyed the hopes and dreams that their citizens had for the future. Great leaders of the past, such as Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill recognized that socialism leads to dictatorships and poverty for all citizens — except for those in control. Just look at how prosperous countries like Zimbabwe and Venezuela were destroyed in recent years by dictators who promised their citizens a socialist utopia — or look at Cuba, to understand why the citizens of these countries will never have an opportunity to achieve or live “the American Dream.”
Yet, while millions of people from around the world take huge risks to flee the misery of their birth country, so they can live in the United States, on a daily basis our news media, radical politicians and celebrities bombard us with what is wrong with America.
Sure, the United States is not perfect and never will be — because it is populated with humans, like you and me. And, God knows that none of us is perfect. But, each of us still has an opportunity to freely pursue our American Dream — unlike many other people in this world. Again, I would not want to live in any other country on this planet!
I wish that every citizen of our wonderful country (especially today’s youth) could experience my worldwide travels. By doing so, they would fully appreciate the incredible gift that our Creator bestowed upon us — by choosing for each of us to be citizens of the United States of America, and not a citizen of a poverty-stricken country that is run by a socialist dictator.
I will never forget my travels throughout China, where my business partner and I were accompanied by a young lady who was an undersecretary of commerce for China. During our monthlong trip, she asked many questions about our country, the freedoms we have and the lives we live. As we sat on a bench, waiting for our flight home to America, I noticed that she was crying. I tried to apologize for whatever I might have said that was upsetting her. She responded that she was very sad that she could not fly to the United States with us, because the government controlled her entire life — her education, where she lived, her work schedule and her friends. I will never forget the tears in her eyes, when she said that she was sad that she would never have an opportunity to “live the American Dream.”
So, why did our Creator choose to bless us with the opportunity to be citizens of the United States of America? What did you or I do to deserve this incredible blessing? I don’t know the answer — do you?
As American citizens, we should be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy and build on the positive aspects of our society. I hope my earlier comment that we have already lived through the best time in American history is not correct, and that future generations will have an opportunity to earn, experience and live their own American Dream — just as my generation earned and lived the American Dream.
Evan A. Werling, Brown County, CPA and international entrepreneur
