On this July 4th, I find myself very conflicted. Conflicted by the current state of America and indeed issues taking place in the rest of our world.
I am British by birth and American by passport. I am a citizen of the world who is fortunate to have had very dynamic international experiences. I have lived in England, America, Germany, Singapore, Mexico and the UAE. It is this background and perspective that has me shaking my head with disappointment as to the current state of the 50 states that make up the United States of America. I am very concerned by the division and fragmentation taking place in the US.
Growing up in Leeds, England, from a very early age, I was exposed to the diverse technicolor beauty that was America from wonderful stories told to me by my aunt Marjorie. These stories, and of course, American movies and music from the 80's, shaped my youth, showed me a diverse, dynamic landscape, and exposed me to stories that were the reason for my wanting to move to America from a very young age.
I now have three children born in America, and several years ago, I became a US citizen. Alas, at the time of me becoming a US citizen, the country was very fragmented and heading headlong into all that occurred in the lead-up to and indeed on January 6th. With all that has recently gone on, and all the challenges on the horizon, all I can hope for this 4th of July is for patience, compassion, love and level-headed leadership for a country that currently seems very broken.