I am a red-blooded American and a big patriot. I believe in America – the idea of America and the founding principles and what they represent. I have always viewed America as a leader in the world.
I’ve traveled – Mexico, Canada, Columbia, China, UK, Italy, Norway, South Africa, Panama, Carribean…
Each time I learned things, and most times I was glad to be back on US soil. You love your home where you understand it all, even if it’s imperfect.
I must say though, that Dubai was humbling. They have a harsh environment (each day it was 110 degrees as it is summer there), and still what they have built and continue to build is amazing. They took 10 years or so to build the new world trade center in New York and argued a lot about the building deciding…meanwhile they built a building twice as tall in Dubai with everyone on board.
I think we have too much bureaucracy and polarization to move quickly and get behind a big common goal. Democracy has become a popularity contest and the public doesn’t think about who is best qualified to get things done within the framework that America is supposed to be. (Congress has abdicated power to the executive branch.)
We need to talk about personal responsibility more and entitlement less. We need to let people be free, but accept the consequences of their actions rather than bailing them out and pasting over failures – because failure is an important part of learning and growing and getting better.
We need to enforce our laws. We need leaders who unite us rather than polarize us. We need a media that doesn’t destroy anyone who is qualified and runs for office just because they are on the other side. The polarized media and subsequently polarized public is a big problem here.
We need to focus on the bigger issues that we aren’t getting right and call them out, and let the little issues be the little issues. We need to have families that stay together and take care of each other.
We need to focus on quality education. Many here get it, but in poor cities, they don’t, and the entities providing it do not want change.
America as a world leader forever? It’s not a given automatic thing. We must work on it as we always have had to do. Our problems may change, but each generation has to get it right.
Individual action matters because we are made up of individuals. The rights of the individual must be held up above any collection of people. But as individuals, we must be quality people with quality beliefs, thoughts and actions.
Then there is leadership and policy. We have to have leaders that make tough decisions and a public that can understand and get behind them, rather than acting like grown children who don’t get their way (benefits). We have to keep what is most important in front and not let what is least important get in the way.
Freedom and responsibility are at the top of the list.
Mark Twain famously said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice.”
I agree.
Well said.
AMEN!!!
Ya know, most people go on a honeymoon, hit up the beach, get a couples massage, sip cocktails and maybe do a hike. Our man Larry here is leaving no stone unturned and having epiphanies left and right! Enjoying the sharing and learning a lot from your lessons on Dubai. Thank you.
OK Larry, are you serving in a public office now, or will you?
Very well said as always. I’ve been saying it to myself for a few years now…we need you as our president!
Great thoughts..looks like you have quite a few backers if you run for President!
Your message is absolutely right on! Maybe you should run for office. We need a leader and a patriot who shares the values of our founders.
wise words
Well said ,my first time responding. Imagine if our elected officials did not receive pay. they are there for civic duty. Larry I’m a past netra member riding enduros in mass ri and ct now i ride adventure bikes and big HD touring. maybe we’ve rode the same enduro at one time
I’m truly fascinated by your experience in Dubai. There are important lessons here for the USA. As Ronald Reagan said “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
Larry for President!
Amen! Couldn’t have said it better.
Most Excellent!
Well said.
Yes! Larry for president!
Right on Larry, I wish your message could get nationwide coverage, it needs to be heard!
I am really enjoying hearing your take on Dubai. You have hit on the reason for their greatness which is synergy of the people. You correctly identified ways in which we in America are not synergistic. This all begs the question, “Why does Dubai have such synergy and why don’t we here in America?”. When asked this question people most often list a multitude of symptoms as the reason. The root problem is what we need to identify and target but what is the root problem(s)? I believe I know but am curious what others think.
Very Well Said!
? concur
Very well said.
There is much that needs fixed and there are problems everywhere. Institutions are being questioned and the country needs better leadership. Another cause that we must address is that we are no longer an informed citizenry. Great democracies require it’s citizens to marshall the power of the collective to demand the best government human nature will allow. A divided and uninformed citizenry gets fleeced and doesn’t even know it…and the country suffers. It’s the responsibility of all of us to be well-informed and – if possible – support or volunteer in the political process. Change can come when the masses resist being divided.
“No problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking” ~ Voltaire