Being an American isn’t easy. We live in a country that has issues. Never before in the history of our great nation have we ever been so divided and split into separate camps. When I grew up in Andersonville, if I didn’t agree with you, you didn’t automatically become my enemy. You were a Brother or a Sister that had a differing opinion.
We were all taught to respect each other’s differences.
Never before have I even imagined a national media so bent on spreading fear and misinformation. Two different stations reporting exactly the same event, tell completely different stories depending on a point of view. No matter what position you take, it has become popular for people to immediately attack you. And it’s wrong, horribly wrong.
Sooner or later Americans need to remember that we’re all in this thing together. At the end of the day, we only have each other.
Memorial Day is one of the true American Holidays. We set it aside to honor our men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our Great Land of Liberty. The history of our country proves that freedom has a price, and the only currency that it will accept, is blood.
If any of you have ever lost someone to war, you know what I mean.
It could have been a Brother or a Sister, a Father or a Mother. Maybe it was someone that you worshiped with or a neighbor who lived down the street. That ultimate feeling of loss, that blank stare in the eyes of those that were closest to them all asking one thing.
“Why?”
Why did I lose a son or daughter who was only nineteen? Why couldn’t they have been spared? What is the point of war in the first place?
And there are never any easy answers.
Those of you who know me, know that I am unabashedly and unapologetically American. I was raised by the guys that fought The Big One and Viet Nam. I was taught that you don’t have to love your President, you don’t have to agree with him, but you had better respect him. I was taught that no matter what happens, above all, you love your country.
Somewhere in the middle of all of this, it has actually become difficult and even unpopular to love America. But you shouldn’t feel that way. You just don’t realize how good you really have it.
When you go to Rome and stroll The Coliseum or enjoy a plate of pasta in The Piazza Navona do you see young girls wearing Dolche and young men in Armani? No. They wear Levi’s and Ralph Lauren.
When you go to Paris and stroll The Champs-Elysees or marvel at the perfection of Versailles, do you see young women in Chanel and boys in Pierre Cardin? No. They wear New York Yankees baseball hats and Michael Jordan jerseys.
Anywhere you go, whether it’s The Alhambra in Spain or The St. Charles Bridge in Prague, you see people celebrating America. They wear our clothing, love our food, and sing our songs. And most of them would do just about anything to be here, to be us.
Everyone seems to love America except Americans.
So I’m going to ask you to put all of that aside for just one weekend. I’m going to ask you to remember what is good rather than just what is wrong about our Home of the Brave. I’m going to ask you to honor those that died to give you your freedoms.
So stand up proudly, put your feet together, and square your shoulders. Raise your head in devotion, put your right hand over your heart in respect, and repeat after me…
I Pledge Allegiance
To The Flag
Of The United States of America
And to The Republic
For Which it Stands
One Nation, Under God, Indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice For All
As you say those great words, do you see them? Do you see all those who have gone before us, who worked and strove and died to give us what we have? Whether you see them or not, they’re there. They stand in unity and reverence, shoulder to shoulder, with you and yours.
So be proud of who you are and our Great Nation. Get past our petty differences that mean so little in the end.
And remember that we’re all in this thing together. At the end of the day, we only really have each other.
May God Bless You, Your Families, and these Great United States of America.
I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Chris Amundson
President
Accounting Solutions Ltd.
773-267-7500
www.AccountingSolutionsLtd.com
773-267-7500
chris@accountingsolutionsltd.com
