From Ireland to Kansas City, my family always believed in America’s promise | Opinion

When my great-great-grandfather Bernard O’Neill left County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1848, he wasn’t just chasing opportunity — he was running from hardship. The famine had devastated his homeland, and like millions of immigrants throughout our history, he arrived in America with little more than hope that this country could offer what his own could not: freedom and the chance to build a better life.

As America marks its 250th anniversary, his journey feels like one small chapter in a much larger national story about what this country has made possible.

For generations, the hope Bernard carried with him has been the same kind of hope that has defined the American experience for so many, before and since. People facing poverty, persecution or uncertainty have looked to this country believing that tomorrow could be better than today. My family is just one thread in that larger fabric.

My family’s American journey began in the coal mines of western Pennsylvania, where Bernard found work after arriving in America. His son, John P. O’Neill, eventually left the mines behind and took a train to Kansas City, where he moved from manual labor into civic life. Through public service and engagement in local politics, he helped other immigrant families build footholds in the middle class.

Each generation of the O’Neills that followed tried to honor the opportunity America offered us by giving something back through public service, community building, and eventually a family business rooted right here in Kansas City. The philosophy was simple: If America gives you a chance, you owe something in return.

When I think about what made that journey possible, I think of the Statue of Liberty. She is more than a symbol of welcome. She represents a promise that effort and determination can be met with opportunity, no matter where you begin. I hope that promise continues to hold for generations to come.

That promise matters especially in moments when it can feel like we are more divided than we are connected. Like many Americans, I sometimes worry about the tone of our national conversation. But history offers perspective: This country has moved through difficult seasons before and come out on the other side, often stronger for it.

Even today, even in a moment that can feel deeply divided, there remains a shared understanding of what it means to be American. A recent national survey conducted by LSG found that 96% of likely voters say working hard and being self-reliant is essential to American identity. The same share of likely voters say equality and participation in elections are defining national values, while 97% point to freedom and individual rights as fundamental.

These are not random statistics. These are the shared foundational values of a country still capable of healing itself, coming together, and moving forward, stronger than before.

As we mark 250 years, the challenge is not simply to rediscover these values, but to live by them. Vote. Build communities where neighbors know and respect one another, where hard work is met with real opportunity, and where everyone gets a fair shot.

The Statue of Liberty has never been a promise of perfection. It has always been a promise of possibility.

And 250 years later, that torch is still in our hands to carry forward.

Pat O’Neill is a retired entrepreneur and community leader whose family has spent generations serving Kansas City through business, public service and civic engagement. He is co-founder of the Kansas City Irish Fest.