It’s our nation’s 250th anniversary, so share your stories of patriotism with us | Williams
As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, many of us have probably been thinking about how we might mark this momentous birthday.
It makes me sad that our politicians have made the Washington, D.C., festivities about religion and party affiliation, and ruined a national opportunity for a unified American celebration. Some will say the Freedom 250 event is bipartisan, or is supposed to be — but in truth, it operates separately from the congressionally authorized bipartisan committee America250, and for that reason has faced significant political controversy.
America is so diverse, and most of us understand that diversity has made us strong and a global leader. But that diversity also means many of us might experience patriotism, love and pride in our country in very different, but no less important, ways.
I thought how cool it would be to hear from some of my fellow Missourians and Kansans about their lived experiences with patriotism. Keep in mind that patriotism and nationalism are fundamentally different concepts. Here, I’m interested in hearing about love, devotion and respect for the country and all its people, and not so much anyone’s feelings of superiority.
For example, when I was a little girl, I loved learning about my parents’ lives. Especially my dad, because he was such a good storyteller and had a beautifully rhythmic Jamaican accent.
I was probably wearing my “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” PJs when I asked him how he got to America. Dad said he was a teenager, maybe 16, the first time he stowed away on a ship in Jamaica, bound for the U.S.
Of course, he got caught and tossed off even before he started. I don’t know how long he waited, but I assume years later, he tried it again. He got caught again. Same results. But the third time, he made it to Florida. He picked fruit, saved his money, got his citizenship and went back to school. He met my mom in Brooklyn, New York, became a boiler room engineer supervisor for a towering housing complex in Far Rockaway, had us three kids, bought a house on Long Island, and the rest is history.
When I asked why he’d stowed away on a ship so many times and risked getting caught and whatever punishment would come, he said this: “America is the greatest country in the world, and I wanted to come to the U.S. because it’s the land of opportunity.” Dad was a very proud Black man and well aware of racial discrimination in this country, but he also loved that, like Jack in the movie “Titanic,” if he could get to America, with luck, he might find his fortune.
So what story of patriotism or reflections on the American flag do you want to share? We will run as many of the stories as we can in the July 4 edition of The Kansas City Star.
