A Love Letter To My Country Today

Friday was the independence day of the greatest nation in human history - one I am blessed to be a native of.

In the early 20th century, my father’s side of the family emigrated to the United States from Poland and Russia. They were in large part fleeing the pogroms (violent riots and attacks specifically targeting Jews) occurring in those places at the time.

Both sides of my paternal lineage became Americans - contributors to their community, and accumulating enough wealth to take care of their families.

In the mid 20th century, my mother’s side of the family emigrated to the United States from Cuba. In 1965, they were fleeing the failed state of communist Cuba, taken over my Fidel Castro only a few years before.

My maternal side of the family - with five kids - moved to the United States and settled down in Central Florida. My Abuelo would go on to completely redo all his medical education and training in order to begin practicing again. My Abuela, went from an upper class lifestyle, to cooking and cleaning for five kids in a country where she knew no one. My grandparents quickly reestablished themselves and became fully assimilated into the American life, while still maintaining their Cubaness the rest of their lives.

I, like all Americans, am the product of immigrants. There is a reason that near everyone who is not living in America, would come and live here if given the option.

Two-hundred and forty nine years ago, a group of white guys that’s families had been living here for a while decided it was time to run their own lives. Look what that turned into.

A country whose principle value is liberty.

I often get asked if I think the United States is the best country in the world. That is a difficult criteria to define, it requires more specificity. People have their preferences, and that’s usually for their home. My response to the question is - the United States is unequivocally the best place in the world for liberty, opportunity, and meritocracy. We are a nation of “rags to riches.”

I can simultaneously acknowledge that there are deeply entrenched ongoing problems here one’s that may destroy this country for good should they not be addressed.

Read that again.

The reason I emphasize the point, is that when I see people online indiscriminately criticize the United States, without making any qualification for all the wonderful things about this land (ever)… I know one thing.

Those people have not traveled for real. ‘Traveled for real,’ means traveled to places that are outside the Western world. You cannot be a well traveled United States citizen, and proceed to not greatly appreciate the blessing it is to have been born with, or given, the eagle on your passport.

People fight for years to have that privilege be bestowed upon them.

As someone that travels the world and makes content about the vast cultures that inhabit it, I felt compelled to write this on the birthday of the part of the world I come from.

I make travel content, but not here. I don’t get the same thrill, it’s one of the most expensive countries in the world to travel, and I am more curious about what I don’t know versus what I do.

That being said - this country is one of one.

If you disagree, let me prescribe you the medicine you need:

A one-way ticket to most of the world.

You’ll learn a few things.

One, is you’ll learn to love people that are simultaneously nothing, and everything, like you.

Another, is you will struggle to ever criticize this country without adding some qualification about your appreciation for it.

What a deck of cards to be dealt in life…

Happy July 4th

Sincerely,

Jacob

P.S. Doesn’t mean I’ll for sure live here all my life, as the problems I mentioned may prevent me from doing so - but I’ll always be grateful, love my home, and keep that EAGLE passport.