Opportunity and America have been synonymous for decades. So much so that America is known by many as "The Land of Opportunity". In America, there are endless opportunities to be who you want to be. One being the opportunity for children to attend school for free and have an equal chance to succeed in the world. Because of these standards of equality, racial diversity is present and celebrated. This draws people of many different backgrounds and cultures to America. So much so that America is currently led by an African-American President, Barack Obama. This gives America an interesting opportunity to support other nations.
Support is America's middle name. For decades, America has donated food, water, and clothing to disaster sites, areas with political corruption, and other places where people are affected by poverty, famine, and war. The American people live up to this standard as well. When the need arises, Americans donate time and money to help their kind survive and be resilient; an example of the American spirit. Even after America defeats another nation in battle, the American government pools disaster money and rebuilds and funds nations they have defeated. As stated in Stossel's video, America does not force defeated countries to pay reparations. We do however, contribute to rebuilding the nation and creating a better country following the moral standards we follow. In short, we simply fight for peace.
Finally, America's history of resilience and political and economic support has set us apart from many nations. Because the first settlers came from Britain and experienced the aristocratic social system and its flaws, the settlers decided to implement a new philosophy after the revolution: all men are created equal. In addition to this, each man has natural rights that cannot be revoked. The most notable being the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Through the leadership of our great presidents and the morals of our revolutionaries, America has upheld the constitutional standard that the people decide what is right. If something is wrong, the people have the right to do whatever necessary to right the wrong.
In conclusion, America is a nation that is perceived as opportunistic, commercial, and a "dog-eat-dog" world where all kinds of people can do all kinds of things. In some people's minds, this is freedom at its best. It is a tradeoff between rules and privileges. For others, America is a place where people are always out to take advantage of someone, and as mentioned in Stossel's video, an immense amount of freedom does not limit this habit. Although the line of ethics is blurry, America still represents many of the ideals we hold today. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that that will never be relinquished by the American people. In fact, America is the standard to which today's ideals are held. A land of opportunity, a peaceful and supportive mindset, and a common resilience in Americans are just a few reasons why America is truly a great nation.
