Letter to the Editor: American pride

We are told to be proud of our country. They say it promotes unity. It supposedly promotes civic engagement and helps us share a sense of purpose. It definitely sells tee shirts, baseball caps and several car brands, like Chevy and Ford.

Pride, in my mind, is birthed from empathy and compassion toward your neighbors. It creates a network of donating, fundraising and volunteering for and in your community. It motivates us to attend festivals, community events, and maybe that new restaurant or craft brewery and winery. The feeling fuels local shopping.

I am unable to define “what or who is American.” My first teachers were white nuns. My army drill sergeants were mostly black, as were my platoon. In federal service my first manager, with US Customs, was a Hispanic female. I led many individuals of varied races, ethnicities and gender identification, plus wide spectrum of ages.

In my seventh decade now, I see being American as displaying your “freedoms” full blown. You voice what you want. You turn off or on what you seek to hear. You also open or close your eyes at much more today. Your American heart, soul and mind soars one day and bottoms out the next. As an American, you are a passenger on a roller coaster full of twists, turns, ups and downs. Just pay the ride ticket taker, just like everyone else must to ride America’s roller coaster, going at 250 miles per hour.

Kevin Holian
Dingman Township