Why I Am Grateful to Be an American

Reflections as We Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary

Every time I travel abroad, I am reminded of two things. First, how much there is to admire and learn from other countries. Second, how grateful I am to come home.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, I’ve found myself reflecting on what I love most about this country and why, despite its imperfections, I remain deeply optimistic about its future.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to travel to many parts of the world. While I certainly haven’t seen everything, I have traveled enough to experience different cultures, different histories, and different ways of life. Every trip has broadened my perspective. Every country has taught me something. Every journey has reinforced my belief that there is wisdom to be found beyond our own borders.

I have admired the history of the United Kingdom, the beauty of France, the culture of Italy, the hospitality of Canada, the resilience of Poland, the breathtaking landscapes of Iceland, and many other places. Traveling has reminded me that no nation has a monopoly on good ideas. America certainly doesn’t do everything better than everyone else, and we become stronger when we remain humble enough to learn from others.

Ironically, traveling has also deepened my appreciation for home.

Every time I return to the United States, I find myself a little more grateful to be an American. Not because our country is perfect—it isn’t. No nation is. But because despite our imperfections, America remains one of history’s greatest experiments in freedom, self-government, and human opportunity.

America Is Stronger Because We Learn from Others

Much of what makes America exceptional came from people who brought their ideas, traditions, talents, and dreams here from around the world. Ours has always been a nation shaped by immigrants seeking freedom, opportunity, and a better life.

Like many aspects of our history, we have not always lived up to that ideal. Yet generation after generation of immigrants has helped build our economy, strengthen our communities, defend our nation, enrich our culture, and expand our understanding of what America can become. Their stories are woven into our national story, reminding us that the American Dream has always been about possibility.

That willingness to welcome new ideas, new people, and new perspectives has been one of our greatest competitive advantages for nearly two and a half centuries.

The Principles That Make America Exceptional

What I admire most about America is not simply what we have accomplished. It is the enduring principles upon which we were founded.

Our nation was built upon the revolutionary belief that individual liberty matters, that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed, and that every person possesses inherent rights that do not come from government. Those ideas changed the course of history and continue to inspire people around the world today.

I appreciate our commitment to freedom of speech, even when I strongly disagree with what someone has to say. Real freedom isn’t tested when we protect opinions we agree with. It is tested when we defend the rights of those with whom we disagree.

I also appreciate our constitutional system of checks and balances. I have never believed that concentrating too much power in a single political party or a single branch of government serves the country well. Our system can be slow, frustrating, and messy, but that was intentional. The Founders understood that liberty is usually better protected through balance than through unchecked power.

The same is true of our judicial system. While no court is perfect, I remain grateful that our nation is committed to the rule of law and the principle that every individual deserves due process. Those ideals are worth preserving.

The Strength of the American People

While our institutions matter, I believe America’s greatest strength has always been its people.

When I travel across this country, I continue to be impressed by the pride Americans take in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities. Homeownership has long represented opportunity, stability, responsibility, and hope. I sincerely hope that every family dreaming of owning a home has the opportunity to achieve that dream.

I am equally inspired by the generosity of ordinary Americans. Every day, millions of people quietly make a difference. They volunteer in churches and civic organizations, coach youth sports, mentor young people, support local charities, raise money for worthy causes, and help neighbors during difficult times. Most never seek recognition. They simply understand that strong communities are built one act of service at a time.

Government certainly has an important role to play, but America’s strength has always extended far beyond government. It lives in families, neighborhoods, schools, businesses, nonprofits, and communities where people willingly invest in one another. That spirit of volunteerism and civic engagement remains one of our nation’s greatest assets.

Innovation, Opportunity, and the American Dream

America has never been content to stand still.

Our entrepreneurs have transformed industries. Our scientists have advanced medicine, technology, agriculture, and countless other fields, improving lives around the world. Our inventors, engineers, and researchers continue to push the boundaries of what is possible.

One of our greatest competitive advantages has also been our system of higher education. America’s colleges and universities attract talented students from every corner of the globe. For generations, they have educated researchers, physicians, engineers, entrepreneurs, educators, and business leaders whose discoveries have transformed industries and strengthened economies far beyond our own borders.

As someone who has spent much of his career working with entrepreneurs and business owners, I have developed an even greater appreciation for America’s culture of innovation. Here, someone with little more than an idea, determination, hard work, and a willingness to take calculated risks can build a business, create jobs, and improve the lives of countless others. That entrepreneurial spirit continues to distinguish America from much of the world.

Our free enterprise system has also helped shape the modern global economy. Supported by the rule of law, transparent financial markets, secure property rights, and a culture that rewards innovation, the United States has created opportunities that have benefited not only our own citizens but people across the globe. American capital markets have financed generations of entrepreneurs, accelerated scientific breakthroughs, expanded international trade, and helped create unprecedented prosperity. While no economic system is perfect, free enterprise has lifted more people out of poverty and created more opportunity than any other economic system in history.

America’s influence extends well beyond economics. Our music, literature, film, sports, and technological innovation continue to shape cultures throughout the world. The number of inventions, patents, and breakthrough technologies that have originated here is extraordinary, and they continue to improve the lives of billions of people.

America’s Leadership Beyond Our Borders

Throughout the twentieth century, America also demonstrated extraordinary leadership on the world stage.

We helped defeat fascism during World War II, stood firm against Soviet communism during the Cold War, and worked alongside our allies to build institutions that promoted peace, security, international cooperation, and economic opportunity. We have not always got everything right, and history honestly records both our successes and our failures.

Nevertheless, I believe the world would be a very different—and far less free—place had America failed to lead when leadership mattered most.

Perhaps more than anything else, I love our sense of history.

Every Fourth of July, families gather for parades, backyard cookouts, concerts, and fireworks. For a few hours, our political differences become less important as we celebrate something much larger than ourselves—the birth of a nation founded upon an extraordinary idea.

Remembering the Courage of Our Founders

Two hundred and fifty years ago, an extraordinary group of men made a remarkable decision. Many had every reason to preserve the status quo. They were successful businessmen, lawyers, merchants, farmers, physicians, and political leaders. Yet they were willing to risk their wealth, their reputations, and ultimately their lives to create a nation founded upon principles that had rarely been attempted in human history.

They believed our rights come from our Creator rather than from government. They believed that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed. They believed liberty was worth sacrificing for. Those ideas transformed not only America but much of the world that followed.

John Adams later wrote, “Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom.” Those words remain just as meaningful today as they were nearly two and a half centuries ago. The freedoms we enjoy were not inevitable. They were earned through sacrifice, protected through courage, and preserved by generations who understood that liberty carries both privileges and responsibilities.

A More Perfect Union

America has never perfectly lived up to its founding ideals. Our history includes slavery, civil war, discrimination, economic hardship, political division, and countless moments when we have fallen short of our own principles. Those chapters should neither be ignored nor forgotten.

At the same time, they should not define the entirety of our national story. One of America’s greatest strengths has always been our willingness to confront our shortcomings, debate our differences, and continue striving toward a more perfect union. Progress has rarely been quick or easy, but throughout our history, we have repeatedly demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for renewal and self-correction. That gives me hope.

Why I Worry About America’s Future

If my reflections ended there, this would simply be a celebration. But loving something also means wanting to protect it. That is where my concern begins.

My concern isn’t that America has problems. We’ve always had problems. Every generation has faced challenges that, at the time, seemed overwhelming. My concern is whether we are beginning to lose some of the habits that have always allowed us to overcome those challenges.

It has become increasingly difficult for Americans to disagree without questioning one another’s motives, character, or patriotism. Too often, we assume the worst about people simply because they see the world differently than we do. We have become quicker to divide than to listen, quicker to criticize than to understand, and quicker to seek victory than to seek common ground.

Self-government depends upon more than free and fair elections. It depends upon trust, mutual respect, civil discourse, personal responsibility, and a willingness to listen before we speak. Perhaps most importantly, it requires the humility to recognize that intelligent, thoughtful, and well-intentioned people can honestly disagree about the best path forward.

Throughout our history, America’s greatest accomplishments have almost always come when we found ways to work together despite our differences. Compromise is not weakness. Listening is not surrender. Respect is not agreement. They are the habits that allow a free people to govern themselves.

When America has been at its best, we have placed the long-term interests of our country ahead of political parties, personal ambition, corporations, or any other special interest. I hope we never lose sight of that.

Freedom Requires Responsibility

As we celebrate this historic anniversary, I hope each of us takes a few moments to reflect on the generations who came before us. The freedoms we enjoy today were never guaranteed. They were entrusted to us by people who believed that future generations deserved to inherit something better than they themselves had received.

Two hundred and fifty years ago, a remarkable generation gave us an extraordinary gift. Every generation since has been asked to preserve it, improve it, and pass it on. Now it is our turn.

Freedom is a remarkable blessing, but it is not self-sustaining. Preserving what makes America exceptional requires far more than celebrating Independence Day once a year. It requires informed citizens, engaged communities, principled leaders, and people willing to place the long-term interests of our nation ahead of their own individual interests.

The work of strengthening America has never belonged solely to elected officials. It belongs to all of us. Whether we lead a family, a business, a classroom, a community organization, or simply ourselves, each of us has an opportunity—and I would argue an obligation—to leave our corner of America a little better than we found it. That is what responsible citizenship looks like, and in many ways, it is also what leadership looks like.

Grateful to Call America Home

One of the greatest gifts travel has given me is perspective. Every country I have visited has taught me something. Every journey has broadened my understanding of the world. Every culture has deepened my appreciation for people whose experiences differ from my own.

Travel has made me a better student of history, a more curious observer, and, I hope, a more thoughtful citizen. It has also reminded me that while every nation has strengths worth admiring, America possesses a unique combination of freedom, opportunity, innovation, generosity, and optimism that continues to inspire people around the world.

America has never been perfect, and no nation ever will be. But I continue to believe it remains one of the greatest forces for liberty, human achievement, economic opportunity, scientific innovation, and hope the world has ever known. That belief doesn’t require ignoring our shortcomings. If anything, it challenges us to address them honestly while never losing sight of the ideals that brought us together in the first place.

I’ve learned something from every country I’ve visited.

But every single time I return home, I am reminded of just how grateful I am to be an American.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, I hope we never take for granted the freedoms we enjoy, the responsibilities we share, or the privilege of calling this remarkable country home.

May we continue striving to build an America worthy of those who founded it, those who defended it, those who improved it, and those who will inherit it after us.

I wish you and your family a joyful, safe, and meaningful Independence Day.

Happy Fourth of July, and God bless the United States of America.