This Independence Day, be proud of America

If readers haven’t been keeping up with the FIFA World Cup, I’m sure they have seen a flood across their algorithm of Europeans and other tourists visiting the United States to watch games, experiencing American culture for the first time.

It’s been quite humorous watching these tourists’ reactions as they try American fast food for the first time, walk through a Walmart or Costco, and try to find out the purpose of or define Buc-ee’s.

As they encounter these uniquely American experiences, many have been amazed by the hospitality of Americans, our customer service, and our food portion sizes compared to Europe or the rest of the world.

Most of them have expressed that these experiences have changed their view of America very positively. A recent Gallup poll found that a record low of 58% of U.S. adults say they’re extremely or very proud to be an American. It’s heartbreaking to see this stat and think that in a few days, millions of Americans will be celebrating our nation’s 250th birthday.

For years, the media has divided Americans and convinced many that our country is currently decaying or is something to be ashamed of. Sure, we do indeed have many issues and problems that our country faces.

However, most of these problems are no bigger or greater than what the vast majority of countries now face in the 21st century.

As we turn our attention and focus to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, I believe we should be proud of how far our country has come and have a deeper appreciation for what makes our country great and unique.

Instead of focusing on the issues that plague our country as we celebrate the Fourth of July, I think we should take notice of our visitors’ experiences and reflect on or appreciate the great things about our country, including our people.

Noah Brady Russellville