America the GREAT by Dottie Coffman

11 Feb America the GREAT by Dottie Coffman

For awhile now we have been inundated with political slogans and rhetoric.  I am about to turn it off myself.  But there is one slogan that has stuck with me.  “Make America Great Again”.  I have had some people question, “when was America ever great anyway?”  How sad that there are people that think so little of our country… but that is what the government of the past few decades has done to us.  Those people only see the America that the past few establishment leaders has created.

How sad.  The America I grew up with was a great nation.  And I grew up around Washington DC.  I even worked at the Pentagon.  I visited museums and other historic cites as part of my continuing education.  Let me cite a few things.

For instance, even though later Japan attacked us at Pearl Harbor, back in March 1912, Japan gifted the United Stated with 3,020 Cherry Blossom trees.  Those trees and their descendants live around the Tidal Basin in Washington now as a memorial of what was once a blossoming friendship between Japan and the US.  And the gift represented that friendship and the great admiration Japan had for the US at that time.

The Statue of Liberty, known to the French as Liberty Enlightening the World, is a huge sculpture given to the American people by the people of France.  It was dedicated in October 1886.  The statue depicts a woman bearing a torch and a tablet.  On the tablet is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.  A broken chain lies at her feet.  The statue is an icon of freedom and a sign to welcome the immigrants arriving from abroad to share in that freedom.

After John F. Kennedy was assassinated, the world reacted in an unprecedented way.  Radios went silent in many countries or played funeral music or tributes to JFK.  In several nations, governments flew their flags at half-mast, and some governments actually declared days of mourning and completely shut down.  On the day of the actual funeral in the US, people around the world held memorial services in their own countries.  Events were canceled; the funeral procession was broadcast around the world via satellite.  Furthermore, attending the funeral were 220 foreign dignitaries from 92 foreign nations and 19 heads of state and government.  In comparison, Ronald Reagan had 218 from 165 nations.  Ronald Reagan was greatly respected and admired by the world.  When the United States was a great nation.

These are just a few historical events that honored America.  They honored our quest for freedom and democracy.  Our military was honored and respected.  We were hailed as heroes liberating many from prison camps and death camps after WWII.  There is a statue of General Douglas McArthur in the Philippines in gratitude for the American’s arrival in the Philippines to protect the people from Communism.  We do not have a military presence in the Philippines anymore and Communism continues to creep in and destroy.

Yes, America was a great nation.  Respected and honored around the world.  Our government has done its best to reduce us to limping around wounded by our own “friendly fire” of our leaders.  Friendly fire of public disrespect, cutting needed funds, apologizing around the world for who we are.  Do we as Americans make mistakes?  Of course.  Is there prejudice and hate? Sadly, yes.  We are America and I am proud to be called an American.  I am proud to be a part of the greatest nation on earth.  Iwill never burn the flag, spit on a police officer, or refuse to salute the military.

As the song says….

This is my country! Land of my birth!
This is my country! Grandest on earth!
I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country to have and to hold.

What difference if I hail from North or South
Or from the East or West? My heart is filled with love for all of these.
I only know I swell with pride and deep within my breast
I thrill to see Old Glory paint the breeze.

With hand upon heart, I thank the Lord For this my native land,
For all I love is here within her gates.
My soul is rooted deeply in the soil on which I stand,
For these are my own United States.

This is my country! Land of my choice!
This is my country! Hear my proud voice!
I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country! To have and to hold.

Dorothy (Dottie) Coffman was born in Washington, DC and raised in Northern Virginia. She married her high school sweetheart, Ken, and after some very dramatic years, they now live in Monroe, Georgia. They have four children: daughter Julie with grandson Noah; Brad (Rhonda) with granddaughter Alexis and grandson Tyler; twin sons Nick (Jen) and Matt (Amy).

Dottie has been involved in many things including: sports, drama and music, radio talk show host and station manager, writing, photojournalism, Bible teacher, public relations, community relations, and more. Being a professional interviewer, a radio personality, and now a writer, Dottie finds that real life is the best subject of all.