On Election Day, let’s honor the immigrants who sought freedom in America
Global import of democracy
Today is Election Day. Reflecting on the diversity in my own little world:
My hairdresser is from Hungary. My driver is Dominican. Housekeeper from Guyana. Laundress from Mexico. Cleaner from Italy. Superintendent from Albania. Editor from Great Britain. Dressmaker from Crete. Doctors from Poland and Ukraine. Doctor’s assistant from Portugal. Manicurist from Romania. Facialist from Israel. Dessert mango from Malaysia.
My mom is from Liverpool. Grandma, Russia. Techie, Jerusalem. False hair from Indonesia. False eyelashes from China. Fragrance seller, France. Fabric dealers, Japan.
Radio station owner, Greece. Newspaper owner, Australia. Jeweler, Turkey. Restaurateur, India. And cheap T-shirts made in Korea.
All have come to this country. To experience the land of the free and the home of the brave. To survive. To breathe. Vote. E pluribus unum. One for all and all for one. Our diversity is so vast that Columbus could not have missed us. He discovered us long ago, before many modern landmarks.
Back when women wore corsets.
Of patriot days
In the early days, our love for the country ran deep. Nathan Hale left Connecticut to fight in Boston. Benjamin Franklin partied in Philly. Benedict Arnold was a military commander in Saratoga. George Washington frequented Fraunces Tavern in downtown.
Hale was a Yale graduate, a time before the school faced issues of hatred and antisemitism. He was so proud of his alma mater that he carried his diploma with him.
Those were the days of respecting the country, fighting for it, without dissent, flag burning, or division.
1789 marked the beginning of democratic rule, with the first president and Congress. By 1898, NYC transformed into a bustling city with democratic values. We have been fortunate to have mayors such as de Blasio and Adams, and officials who have upheld integrity.
They blue it
How we became a blue state like California is unclear. But we are content living in a city where certain aspects can be challenging. Where the subway has its dangers, pot is popular, and the streets are congested.
New York’s residents include famous personalities, and the city is always evolving.
Next up is gambling and casinos, and the city continues to thrive amidst its challenges.
New York, New York, a city like no other.
It’s all part of the American experience.
