For its optimism, its diversity, its size, and its sense of humor.
At least, those are the first ones that hit me on this Independence Day morning, nursing a mild hang over from my family reunion last night.
Optimism. Is there a more hopeful country on this planet? Maybe Australia, but other than that Lucky Country I submit that no other nation is as convinced that the immortal philosophy of Terminator 2 guides its destiny: We Have No Fate But What We Make. Independence: let’s fight for it. Slavery: let’s crush it. The moon: let’s shoot for it. And next (stand aside, Bush regressives): global warming, let’s solve it.
Diversity. What a spectacular pageant of human and natural variety this country offers. So many different faces, languages, and histories; such varied landscapes; an incredible number of animals and plants. Brazil is the only other country I can think of with such a fantastically mixed population, and few countries span continents. Keys to our success: immigrant determination, and land that stretches from sea to sea. The latter is fixed by nature, but the former we control. The more immigrants we admit, the more successful we will be. That has been the story of our past; it is the hope of our future.
Size. The U.S. does things on a grand scale. We don’t just make finely wrought dramatic movies, we produce spectacular thrillers and sell them worldwide. Not just inventions but airplanes and semiconductors. Not just bombs but nuclear weapons. (Which, of course, introduces the downside of this gargantuan characteristic: grotesque failures of judgment and ability like the current Republican “war of choice” in Iraq). Still, I love this country for its scale.
Sense of humor. This is the kicker. Without it, we would be lost. Reconciliation, joy and hope — and the ingredients of a proper birthday celebration — flow from laughter. celebration.
