Forget The Economy and Be Thankful You Live Here

January 23, 2007 was the fifth best day of my life, preceded only by the births of my four children. That was the day I became an American citizen.

The single biggest reason I decided to renounce my Canadian citizenship, and become an American, was to have the right to vote. Prior to becoming an American, I lived here as a “Resident Alien” for ten years, and enjoyed all of the benefits of this great country. However; I never really felt that I was part of the American fabric. I considered it my home, but I felt like a visitor. On Tuesday, any of those lingering feelings will disappear completely.

I will be in line by 6:00am. My 18 year-old daughter Jeri will be voting for the first time as well, and we will be going out to celebrate afterwards. I am so pleased with how engaged she has become in the political arena. Interestingly enough, I am most proud of the fact that she is voting differently that I am. It demonstrates independent thinking. I do not agree with her position, but I have never made any attempt to convince her otherwise. Instead, I have enjoyed learning the reasons behind her choice. It is a wonderful thing to see your child blossom into a committed, well-informed, and rationale adult. Besides, any attempt to sway her decision would reverse what the right to vote is all about.

When I first moved here, I was stunned to learn how low voter participation was in most elections, although the upcoming election is poised to have record voter turnout. I certainly hope that trend continues.

When I took the citizenship pledge, I was surrounded by 120 people from 40 different countries. It was an incredibly emotional experience. All around me, families stood tall and proud as tears rolled down the cheeks of the adults. In that room, people’s lifelong dreams were being realized. For most, they were delivering a better life for their children. Many of these were folks who arrived in the USA from indescribable situations, and truly believed they now had their place in the land of opportunity. Their ideals were right then, and hold true today.

It is very easy in these difficult economic times to discount the wonders of America. Yes indeed we have some near-term challenges, but this too shall pass. America was, is, and always will be, the envy of the world. There truly is no better place to live.

Please make sure you take the time to vote. Keep in mind that the majority of the world’s population would do anything to enjoy the right that many people in this country take for granted. For those of you that own businesses, allow your employees ample time off to exercise this glorious right. If you are planning on buying a business, make it a policy to do so once you are the boss. You will feel good about it, and it is simply the right thing to do.

Tuesday is going to be a phenomenal day in my family, regardless of the outcome. We waited a long time for this day to arrive, and there is no doubt in my mind it will become the sixth greatest day of my life. I cannot wait.

Comments

[website business]

Hi Richard,
congratulations on your first vote as an American. I am getting naturalized as we speak as well - emigrating from Canada myself. My wife has voted in the last election and is very passionate this time around as well - she is from the Netherlands. I am looking forward to the next election cycle where I can actively take part. Judging from your previous commentary, I am likely on the side of your 18 year old daughter though.....!
David Fairley
www.websiteproperties.com

[Bill J.]

Congradulations and welcome! I never miss voting on election day and we too have passed that legacy on to our children. It is important to remember that voting is not what "I want" but what "we want". No matter who wins, the President is always who "we want". That is one of the things that make this country great.

[AMC]

Great post, it is indeed an exciting event to have the ability to vote. I especially liked how you respect your daughter's decision to vote differently, I vote differently than my parents as well, and hope the see it as a good thing to think independently too!

[David Aldridge]

Great article, Richard, and hearty CONGRATULATIONS on attaining Citizenship. Most of us don't have to choose citizenship, it is handed to us at birth without any thought or effort on our part. I must differ with you on the subject of your daughter's vote. You appear to act as a spectator in your daughter's education and the formulation of her value system and judgement skills. While we cannot and should not interfere with our childrens' freedoms, we as parents and mentors have a responsibility to teach and guide them. If they make choices they later regret, they may rightly turn back to us, their parents and life's guide until adulthood, and ask "why didn't you teach me what you knew that could have helped me avoid such a terrible mistake?" A wrong vote today would qualify as one of those terrible mistakes causing both her and all of us to suffer grevious concequences. Step up and do your duty, Dad! You have obviously left her education to her liberal teachers, all equally influenced by her peers.
Happy Voting,
David

[Linda Murray]

Thank you so much for your comments and acknowledgement of how awesome America is. I am so worried about this election's outcome that I forget how awesome this country is compared to other choices. May you (and America) continue to be blessed. In addition may small business continue to be the lynnchpin of the promise held of determining our own future, and of America being the place that not only allows but encourages the entrepreneurial spirit.

[Bob Peterson]

I enjoyed Richard's comments greatly. My daughters just returned from Costa Rica and, although the people are wonderful and the country is terrific, they commented on how lucky we are to live in the US.

My parents married and lived through the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. They would not consider these to be "difficult economic times." After visiting just about any place in the world, I cannot think of these as "difficult economic times." Food costs less for our families than in any other place or any other time in the history of mankind. More people live in the "luxury" of a single family dwelling than in any other point in history...not just here, but in the world. This country has a middle class, most places do not.

This election was run on the basis of change. Which way? And, to whom? Let's all keep our perspective and note where the votes came from--the counties with the biggest populations, big cities, carried this election; not the people who live in the heartland and who live in the vast spaces of this land. Not the middle class that has paid the taxes, created the jobs and owned the businesses. We may, indeed, be in for some "difficult" economic times.

My daughters voted differently than I did. You are right, Richard, that is a fundamental right. It is wonderful. So is free speech. Let's harken to your words and enjoy this wonderful country.

While we are really appreciative of our neighbors to the north, I would like to hear your comments on some of the ways Canada falls short--like health care. We have heard that there are as many MRI machines in my town, Kansas City, as there are in Canada. I would submit that this points out flaws in both systems.

Keep up the good work. You write so well.
Bob Peterson, Business Broker, Kansas City, MO.

[Richard Parker]

FROM RICHARD: Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments and support. This is certainly an interesting time in our country's history. I will take up Bob Peterson's request in a future post and discuss some compelling differences between Canada and the USA.

I must however respond to David Aldridge's comments regarding my position on my daughter's choice for President.

While I have the utmost respect for anyone's opinion, your comments are so off target they are simply mind boggling! What I find to be so outlandish is that you have made such inflammatory comments and reckless assumptions without even knowing whom my daughter or I voted for. Talk about having a shoot first-ask questions later mentality.

My daughter and I have enjoyed wonderful, in-depth political discussions, and we have both made valid points for our choices. Attempting to influence someone's thinking simply because I believe my choice is better, is nonsense. It doesn’t work in business and it doesn’t work in relationships. In the political arena, not stifling someone's choice is called DEMOCRACY.

While your "my way is the only way" philosophy may work for you, and you obviously think it works for your children, I prefer to raise an independent-minded thinker who can, in her first vote, see that she can make a difference. It is critical to get the youth of this country involved in the political process which is something they have lacked for decades. Attempting to discourage someone's choices as you suggest only leads to the apathy that "my vote doesn't count so why bother" mentality that has plagued this country in the past.

As for your comment: "Step up and do your duty, Dad!", let me share a bit about Jeri: She is a straight A student. She received a full academic scholarship for her 4 years of college, in addition to being the sole recipient of the prestigious Martin Luther King, Jr scholarship. She is a National Honor Society Member, and in her "spare" time, she has logged over 1000 hours of community service. Plus, she is an incredible sibling who understands and cherishes the importance of our family unit.

To me, her accomplishments academically, and her commitment to family and those less fortunate, are the greatest validation of the job her mother and I have done influencing her value system and judgment skills. I don't want my adult children to do everything I say they should. How the hell else are they going to learn? Sounds to me like you think we should raise robotic offspring that become mirror image adults of their parents in their thinking simply because their parents believed their way was right.

In my world, it is infinitely more important to do right than to be right, and I will be thrilled if that alone is what my children learn from me. I am always open-minded and eager to learn better ways from others, especially in child-rearing, but there is no way I am going to subscribe to anyone's opinion whose thought process is as archaic and dictatorial as yours.

[website businesses for sale]

Richard,
I really appreciate your last comment to Mr Aldridge. As a father of 2 children, and the oldest being a daughter, I raise my children to be free thinking sovereign people. While there is discipline and guidelines, my wife and I know, irrefutably, that our children are the natural evolution of us and will be greater than us if they are brought up with open minds and not under despotic fear and control. Mr Aldridge sounds like he needs to be de-programed from his militaristic mentality - don't question authority BS that is effective for creating worker drones easily controlled in our society by the power brokers.
david