God has blessed America
The first European settlers in America came seeking religious freedom without government intervention and prohibitions. Some came who simply wanted freedom and a new start in life. Ambitious European rulers competed for colonial superiority over their counterparts in the “new world.”
After a hundred years or so of settling Great Britain's colonies, the people declared their independence from King George III'S tyrannical rule. Their list of grievances included many of the same reasons they had fled Great Britain in the first place. From the beginning America has always attracted those who seek freedom from oppressive governments.
Over time populations of settlers and their progeny increased and spread across America destroying peace, cultures and societies of Native Americans. No doubt many Native Americans regretted not having large enough populations to slow or stop aliens from destroying what they had enjoyed for thousands of years.
Peoples from all nations and cultures came to America one way or another and formed a population unlike any other nation in the world today. Look at other nations' athletes in world competitions. Practically all other nations' athletes look like their teammates. America's athletes look like people from all other nations combined. In little more than 200 years, America has grown into a unique nation that has thrived far beyond all other nations on earth in terms of wealth and power. Our prominence in the world is not due solely to one race or ethnicity of people, but to a combination of races and ethnicities working together to build a better nation. The United States of America comprises about 4.5-percent of the world's population, but produces nearly 30-percent of total world wealth annually.
According to an article by the Pew Research Center, “The U.S. stands head and shoulders above the rest of the world. More than half (56%) of Americans were high income by the global standard, living on more than $50 per day in 2011, the latest year that could be analyzed with the available data. Another 32% were uppermiddle income. In other words, almost nine-in-ten Americans had a standard of living that was above the global middle-income standard.”
As the 2020 elections draw nearer, Americans will be bombarded with claims of how bad things are here. Some making those claims will contrast America's governance and lifestyles with other nations' governance and lifestyles, and will advocate making America more like them. Some among us, particularly younger generations who don't know our own history very well much less world history, will naively believe utopian tales of other nations' progress.
Candidates preaching the great socialist lie of income equality will never tell followers that the income gap between poor and rich is a global phenomenon. The richest 1-percent in the world own half of the world's wealth. Remember, nine out of ten Americans are better off than half of rest of the world's population.
As a nation of immigrants, we would do well to consider how good life is in America compared with life in our ancestral countries. Yes, like all other nations, cultures and societies, America suffers many ills, but most of us just want to live peacefully and cordially with others. Instead of fighting over our differences, we should all make time this week to thank God for blessing America while celebrating our freedoms and independence.
Daniel L. Gardner is a syndicated columnist who lives in Starkville, MS.YOU may contact him at Pjandme2@gmail.com.