What makes U.S. great

This week, I’m thankful that, despite evidence to the contrary, deep down Americans hold many similar values. These are values our immigrant ancestors brought to these shores to build their dreams in America.

Thanks to people who were willing to sacrifice everything they knew to build something from nothing, we’re a country of innovative thinkers and problem-solvers. We’re risktakers and entrepreneurs, freedomseekers and dream achievers.

These are the values I see today when I get to know young immigrants brought to America as children from Mexico and Guatemala. These young people aren’t waiting for someone to fix their problems, they’re taking on second jobs to pay their way through college. They seek the freedom to live freely and contribute to their communities. They’ve got business plans for matching aspiring workers with jobs, dreams of becoming doctors, big ideas about public service.

It feels like our country is gripped by a culture clash of values right now—but we’re so much alike in what it means to be an American. Just like these new generations of young immigrants are so much like our forefathers: They dream of a better life than their parents had, and they’re willing to sacrifice more than I ever have to make it happen. It’s been a long time since my ancestors immigrated, so long that complacency has become habit.

Thank goodness these young Dreamers are here to reinvigorate the values our country was founded with. We need them here to prod us from complacency. We can help them by calling our representatives and senators and urging Congress to pass the DREAM Act by Dec. 8, giving immigrant Dreamers legal status to live and work where they’ve grown up. We can help ourselves by embracing their risk-taking, entrepreneurial, cando spirit. That spirit is what’s made America great all along.

LORIEE EVANS

Little Rock