Let's celebrate July 4th because every American lives in the most profoundly fortunate "essential country" in the world.  America's Constitution remains the hallmark for governance on this planet. Every citizen enjoys the freedom to chase his or her dreams, live their lives in peace, and succeed in hundreds lines of work, play or choices.

Every person in America—-black, white, brown, yellow, or red, might kneel down on his or her knees and thank their lucky stars to be living in America.

At the same time, recent polls show 82 percent of conservative Americans love America.  An appallingly 64 percent of liberal Americans condemn America.  A growing number of youthful Americans hate America.  That same group demonstrates against America, spits on Old Glory, burns the Stars and Stripes, and generally shows their unpatriotic feelings toward their own country.

Because of our brilliant, one of a kind, U.S. Constitution, such adverse behavior against America enjoys the freedom to spit-on and burn our flag.  Which, in reality, means they spit on our sacred Constitution.  

The question grows: where would you move to enjoy a more satisfying, fulfilling and happy life?  Perhaps North Korea?  If you spit-on or burned their flag, you would be executed on the spot.  You would live in poverty without choices your entire life. What about moving to Communist China?  You would be executed in a heart beat if you challenged the CCP dictator. You would live among 1.4 billion people, massive pollution and few choices.  What about moving to Russia?  You would immediately be conscripted into the Army to fight and die in the Ukraine war.  

What about moving to India?  You would suffer polluted water, polluted air, scant food, lack of education, rivers that run like sewers to the sea, and 60 percent of Indians lack a toilet let alone water purification systems.  Special note: 4,000,000 Indians are born in the streets, live in the streets and die in the streets of the major cities like Mumbai, India.  If you ever saw it for yourself, like I have, you would thank God for being born in America.

If you moved to Africa, you would not enjoy a shower, toilet or running water in most of Africa. You would not be able to educate your children as illiteracy is the dominant reality in Africa.  You would most likely be embroiled in tribal wars.  You would be constantly standing in line for food.  You would most likely have been one of the 15 million Africans who died from AIDS because they lack medical, birth control and sanitation to stop the disease. Also, massive illiteracy in Africa remains a stepping stone for major diseases.

What about Mexico or Central America where drug gangs dominate?  Why do you think over 25 million illegal aliens who have invaded America didn't stop in Mexico to enjoy that country's endless opportunities?

Every time we hear Whoopi Goldberg, a black actor, scream about racism in America, she doesn't mention that her personal worth of $67 million came from the wallets of all those white people. Self-professed racist LeBron James never mentions that his $1 billion bank account came from white people.  We can show that African-Americans appreciate that America houses the MOST black, brown and yellow millionaires and billionaires on this planet.
For the record, about 4.0 million children die annually of starvation around the world. Another 8.0 million adults die in horrible poverty, annually.  Millions of people teeter on the brink of starvation and horrible living conditions.  Even the 800,000 homeless in America can tap into food pantries and food kitchens. 

So what's good about America?

What about every kid in America being able to play football, baseball, basketball, tennis, hockey, soccer, swimming, rugby, lacrosse, rodeo, surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, triathlon and another 100 activities for self-fulfillment. 

Everybody may enjoy their own path toward God in thousands of churches that fit their spiritual needs.  Even the most despicable and deadly religion on this planet, Islam, enjoys freedom to express itself in America.

Every young person enjoys K-12 education to better their minds, pursue their athletics and become a viable, contributing person in America's workforce.  Such knowledge allows them to earn a job, live in a house or apartment, drive a car, grocery shop and buy merchandise that gives them many choices in life.

Most Americans enjoy fantastic travels around the world by cruise lines, flights, sailboats, backpacking, scuba diving, skiing, bicycle travel—-literally—-just about any choice you might imagine. Americans travel the world.  Out of 195 countries in the world, only Western countries afford their citizens the ability to travel around this planet.  That's less than 50 countries!  

How about parades?  What about rodeos?  Anyone stuff themselves at a church social?  How about Christmas parades? How about Thanksgiving Parade in New York City?

In every imaginable path possible, we Americans choose our lives to fit our needs.  We can be farmers or lawyers or police officers or mayors of cities.  We can become teachers or business persons or nurses or run for president of America.

We see every conceivable sport on the planet, including "Curling."   We can mountain bike race in the Leadville 100.  We can run across Death Valley.  We can kite-surf off Malibu.  We can attend the Indy 500 or the Daytona 500.

We enjoy the finest medical care in the world.  Our traffic system speeds all of us toward our destinations seven days a week.  We enjoy environmental laws to keep our air cleaner, our rain purer, and our eco-systems intact.

We may join every kind of organization such as Lion's Club, Rotary Club, Scuba Diving Clubs, sky diving clubs, Golf Clubs, and Pickle Ball.  How do you beat that in any other country in the world?   Answer: you can't.  There is not another country in the world like America for personal opportunity and choices.

Why are we an "essential country?"  We command the economics that billions of people around the world rely upon.  We buy and sell goods that benefit the world.  We are the largest market on the planet.  We are innovative, creative and idealistic.

We've got Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Liz Taylor, Jane Russell, Gene Kelly, Taylor Swift, the Beach Boys, Robert Redford, Fred Astaire, Paul Newman, Johnny Cash, Karen Carpenter, Ann Margaret, John Wayne, and dozens of super stars.  Come on…who else could make Top Gun or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? 

How about every time you see a leather-clad motorcyclist riding his or her Harley-Davidson off to the biggest block party in America: Sturgis, South Dakota.  That rider tugs at your primordial heartstrings for ultimate freedom of the road.

For certain, this appreciation of America could go on for pages and pages.  We're the luckiest people in the world to live in the land of opportunity.  Women enjoy equal footing in the arts, in music, in acting, in sports…thank you Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Coco Goff, Serena Williams…and millions of high school and college female stars…thank you Riley Gaines…all the way to female governors, mayors and corporate heads across America.

Thank you to every man and woman who has served our country in the Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force for the past 250 years. Thank you to all our police officers. Thank you to all our fire fighters.  Thank our Constitution for law and order in America.

This July 4th, 2025, let's raise Old Glory to the sky.  Let's look forward to the "GOOD" of America. Let's look forward to the "PROMISE" of America.  Let's thank our lucky stars that we live, work and flourish in America.  

That thanks comes from a little old farm boy from LeRoy, Michigan.

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