I am proud to be an American. North America generally and more specifically, the United States, and in particular Florida.
One night at dinner (Tipicos Linda Vista) a European remarked how terrible Americans were, "Oh not you personally, Robert". I asked if she meant the other Americans present and that drew a blank from her. I explained that she in fact was the only one who was not an American, but history shows that she could become one, joining the Americas
Recently Richard Rodriguez did a piece on the "News Hour" showing the poor Central American immigrants on the streets of the United States, and went deep enough to show where they came from, how knowledge of the crops ready for harvest flows across the border and brings workers with it. He correctly postulated on an increasing flow of Central Americans to the United States due to the environmental destruction of Hurricane Mitch.

I more firmly than ever now believe that more North Americans must go to work doing whatever it is that they do best in Central America to show our solidarity with our fellow Americans there. There are already Doctors and Nurses and others as well. When the call for help goes out, people from the United States always respond.

But Relief is of shorter term than development. The presence of US professionals in the Americas is needed not because there may be a shortage there, but so that solidarity is shown. The United States is best represented by its people. It is our strength. The dangers to migrants may be helped by alleviating the poverty and conditions that cause one to leave home and believe that a better future is elsewhere. The Rev. Jesse Jackson said that Latinos could help out in this because they speak Spanish.
But let's not stop there. Let's make a commitment to diversity and multi-culturalism by ALL of US, reaching out and learning other languages and ways, so that we can share our special abilities and make our vocations tools not only for supporting our families but also for unifying the Americas.

Let's also try to live in a society where people don't have to abandon their homes and families to work for a decent life. One where there is ample participation in both the benefits of technology and its distribution by the free market. home