John,
I was born in Philadelphia. Growing up, my immigrant parents instilled in me and my brother a sense of pride in being Americans. They took us to Washington to see the monuments. They taught us about the Constitution. They emphasized the importance of hard work and public service. “You were born in America—don’t mess it up,” my folks would say. “You won the lottery.” I am, and always will be, proud to be an American. And I continue to believe in America and all it can and should be—the United States our Founding Fathers established, the composite nation Fredrick Douglass envisioned, the beacon that welcomes anyone seeking a better life for themselves and their families. I believe in an America that embraces freedom: Freedom to be who you are and love who you want. Freedom to choose when and if to start a family. Freedom from medical and student debt. Freedom to pursue a new economic patriotism that provides increased opportunities to those who’ve felt left behind. I believe in an America that invests in the well-being of its people, a new economic patriotism that will uplift working families and creates good-paying manufacturing jobs that will revitalize communities nationwide. |
I believe in an America that brings people together and reflects the full texture of life in the 21st century. I believe that in our lifetime we can do what no other society in the history of humanity has ever done—become a cohesive, multiracial, multiethnic democracy.
The dream of freedom built this country, and the spirit of freedom continues to animate our great nation. True freedom allows everyone, no exceptions, to live their lives to the fullest; it is in this promise that every American can not only survive, but thrive.
This is the America I’m celebrating, and this is the America I’m fighting for—not just today, but always.
Wishing you a happy and healthy 4th of July. Onward,
Ro |
