As dysfunctional families go, our American family is rather typical. It is a chaotic mix of overlapping archetypes. We have the matriarchs, the patriarchs, the scapegoats, the enablers, the martyrs, the rebels, cynics and lost children, we have peacemakers, and the much-needed mascots for some comic relief. It is this hodgepodge of mismatched socks that make this country great despite its many flaws.
I will steal a quote I read recently, “If you want to hate America, watch the news. If you want to love America, drive across it.” This quote ended an editorial about the trials, tribulations, and observations of foreigners here for the FIFA World Cup. It started rather ominously as it mentioned the clash between our recent swing toward isolation where 19 countries faced an outright ban on travel and 20 others ran into pauses on visa applications. Over two dozen players, staff, and officials faced significant travel difficulties. There were the disappointed fans who had spent thousands of dollars for travel, hotels, and tickets, only to find their visas had been denied.
On the brighter side there were those who made it and found the beautiful America we have come to love. There were social media posts of amazement at our landscape, food trucks with fusion cuisine, Texas barbecue and steakhouse fries, Waffle House hash browns, and the wonderment of a Bass Pro Shop. One German fan posted after coming upon a Buc-ee’s, “DUDE LMAO THIS IS A GAS STATION.”
The overwhelming observation was that they were greeted with friendliness and generosity. I have made this same observation many times. I have driven across this country perhaps a dozen times. From Florida to California and back again via Mexico and Canada. Up and down the eastern seaboard from Miami to Nova Scotia. I’ve taken the southern route, northern route, and central route and driven in Hawaii and Alaska. I have been to all 50 states.
I am always amazed when I talk to people who may have otherwise traveled in Europe and Asia or elsewhere in the world, but who have not seen the bounty we have between our two oceans. I remember stopping in a small southern town restaurant for a late lunch and talking to a twenty-something waitress. She said that she had never been outside her hometown except to visit the Walmart in a slightly larger nearby town. She marveled when she saw our maps (this goes back a few years before GPS) and the route highlighted by AAA.
Yes, we need to look up from our everywhere-screens and smell the roses. If the lens through which you view this great country is just the summary of the evening news or the cacophony of disenchanted voices on social media, then I will understand your cynicism. I hope our 250th birthday celebration in just over a week will be cause to set aside our differences and just relish the moment.
When the fireworks light up the sky and the sounds of Stars and Stripes Forever ring out, the goosebumps on the arms of Republicans, Democrats, Independents, liberals, conservatives, and other fine Americans are of equal size. I leave you with a Rodney King quote from 1992, "Can we all just get along?"
Postscript: The accompanying image is a collection of images from a single vacation drive in 2009.
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