Contrary to what some may believe, America is already great, and it always has been, despite the blackened sunspots of scandal and uncertainty. We are among the largest democracies in the world, and to add with having the most powerful military. We have the right to freely practice religion, to free press, and most importantly to free speech, even if what we say sometimes is ridiculous, uninformed, or plain ridiculous.
But what really makes America great is the people; people like José Andrés, a Spanish immigrant who emerged as a leader of the disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico for Hurricane Maria. He organized a movement of chefs and volunteers to establish communications, food supplies, and other resources and started serving meals. The organization he formed to accomplish this, World Central Kitchen, served more than 2 million meals during the first month after the hurricane devastated Puerto Rico. People like José Andrés’ charity is simply one of the greater and more broadly demonstrated cares and efforts of the American people.
People like those in the Cajun Navy, informal ad-hoc volunteer groups of private boat owners who assist in search-and-rescue efforts in Louisiana and adjacent areas. Formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, they were reactivated in the aftermaths of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and the 2018 Hidalgo County flood. They have been credited with rescuing thousands during those disasters. This shows the sheer willpower of a single American; imagine hundreds of millions of those.
People like those who volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps build affordable houses for low-income families to call home. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat for Humanity has built thousands of affordable homes for American families in the U.S. and worldwide. For example, in San Antonio, Habitat for Humanity volunteers build 40 to 50 affordable family homes every year.
And people like Brinley Williams, the 7-year-old from Hugo, Oklahoma, who was given an American Girl doll when she was in the hospital and decided that she wanted to give back. So, she sold lemonade and helped out in a restaurant to raise money to buy dolls for sick kids at St. Francis Children’s Hospital. She and her parents even customized the dolls so that they’d resemble the girls receiving them. A little goes a long way, and they went the full way.
America achieved its greatness and continues to demonstrate so by being a collage of different cultures and identities. This country of Native Americans and immigrants who came from around the world—albeit involuntarily in certain circumstances—absorbs elements of different cultures to create a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts. ‘E pluribus unum’, out of many we are one.
We have an amazing capacity for compassion, altruism, and empathy: unequaled among the other nations of the world. We possess a deep commitment to and respect for each person’s inalienable rights. It is the basis for Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. As put by former President Harry S. Truman: “America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand”. From José Andrés and Brinley Williams to humanitarian organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the Cajun Navy, Truman is truly right, right about America.
And that’s why we are great.