3rd Gen American and ID4

On this Independence Day, it did not escape me that my daughter was born into privilege. I'm not saying that she was born into great wealth, as defined by Hollywood or Wall Street, or that she has some huge trust fund to her name. Well, my insignificant 401(k) is all her's if she wants it. It won't really move the needle for her when gas is $10/gallon and university tuition is half a million bucks (in 18 years).

Without any doing of her own, she just happened to be born into the most powerful and prosperous nation on earth. Yes, it is a nation that has weathered some very bad PR during the past eight years, and a nation not without detractors and critics. We have made some huge mistakes, not just in the past eight years but in our existence as a nation. But so has every other nation. We happen to be a nation that can self-criticize, pick up ourselves when we fall, improve, and move forward.

I'm digressing a bit - this holiday always brings about some reflection about this country that I happened to be born in. I estimate that I've spent a third of my July 4ths abroad (many of them in Japan with my cousins during childhood summers). I could be off by a couple of years either way, but nevertheless, I've been away for a lot of ID4's. In the past several years, I was once in Kyoto, Japan for the Fourth, and once in Bangkok, Thailand. I always feel especially patriotic, and proud, when I'm abroad. Although I spent this holiday indulging in BBQ's across LA, and trying to make sure Lina survived each outing, I did find a few moments to appreciate this country. Back to my daughter...

She has no idea, obviously, that she is a 3rd-generation Taiwanese American immigrant in the USA. She has a citizenship that millions only dream to have. She was born onto a very uneven playing field. In this case, she has the upper hand. Just because she was born on US soil, she is conferred all the "rights and privileges," associated with being a citizen. We all know what these privileges are when we stop to think about it. This country is the only place and context that would allow many of us to get to where we are and where we eventually want to be, whatever that means.

She also happens to be born into a family that loves her, with four grandparents, tons of uncles and aunts, and many cousins and second-cousins. All adoring fans of her, who will stand by her side through her life. That's a lot...and she didn't have to do a single thing. The complete opposite is true for millions...

Reflections on America, Independence Day, immigrant life, my daughter, family, etc.. all jumbled up without much flow...

Update...
After posting this a couple of hours ago, I have a follow-on thought. The United States is indeed a great nation. I certainly don't take this status for granted. Now that I have a kid, a daughter, I am even more hyper-aware of the perception of the United States outside of the country. I can't tell you how many times I have sat in bars, cafes, brassieries, and tea shops around the world listening to people rant and rave about our government. Much of is true, some of it is misconstrued. And I don't blame them. The decisions of the U.S. affect everybody. Well, now that Lina is in the world, I have more of a vested interest that this country stays great and doesn't do more damage than good to the world. As such, I am very very interested in this coming election. I'm definitely going to be commenting on it.