„America the Beautiful“ – what are you doing to yourself and to us? Where is your optimism gone? You let us follow your current destiny as you beam your TV in our living rooms or to our hotel beds, wherever we are. That is one of your strengths: you open yourself up to the world and the world can watch every move you do.
I am writing from beyond the fence, from the „mess the world is right now,“ as your president keeps saying. His grandfather came from my country to seek his fortune in that New World, and boy he did. His grandson owns towers and resorts. As millions before and after him, those Heinz, Astor, Levis or Steinway families. America, you were their hope, you welcomed those from our continent. You took in refugees fleeing our extermination camps. You and your allies liberated us when we had failed horribly.
You were generous, you broke blockades. You lived what we aspired to. You gave us jazz and Coca Cola, Mark Twain and Bob Dillon, Elvis and Marilyn. You „moved on“ when we despaired, you took risks when we were fearful souls. You invented things we never thought we would need. You claimed to be a „beacon of freedom.“
Don’t let yourself guided by cynicism and mistrust. Because when the light stops emanating from the beacon, ships run aground. Smile America, we have not yet stopped loving you.
Weltsichten 