If the American spirit could be broken, I imagine 2020 would have been the thing to break it. Violent riots, a global pandemic, unprecedented political polarization, and widespread economic upheaval would be dispiriting to any nation.
Instead of focusing on what went wrong over the past year and a half, we should consider what went right. Because no matter how difficult our circumstances, the spirit of America cannot be broken. Though the list of America's accomplishments could be endless, there are five that I want to acknowledge this Independence Day for which we should be particularly grateful.
1. AMERICAN INGENUITY. The top of the list must be the American innovation that brought us a vaccine in record time. Operation Warp Speed demonstrated what happens when government empowers the private sector, minimizes bureaucratic hurdles, and plays a supporting role in the development of critical technologies. We have always met the challenges in the past, and we will in the future.
Americans were vaccinated long before the rest of the world for one reason: we didn't depend on the glacial pace of the federal government to run the show. When the world needs something done, it's still America that leads.
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2. SELFLESS APPROACH. I continue to be grateful for the men and women who put their lives on the line day in and day out to keep America safe. Our troops, our law enforcement, and our first responders are among the best in the world. They care and they sacrifice for the good of the country.
Even with political winds blowing in their faces, these people can be relied upon to protect, defend, and save in times of need. Whether it was health care workers during a pandemic, police officers during a riot, or American troops during a COVID-19 outbreak on a naval ship, America's finest came through for us in a time of need.
3. FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Another reason to be grateful becomes obvious when we look across the Pacific at the once-free city of Hong Kong. It's easy to take our civil rights and liberties for granted.
But even as great pressure was exerted over the last year to suspend some of those rights, America remains the envy of the world. There's a reason you saw Hong Kong protesters carrying American flags and singing the Star-Spangled Banner half a world away. Our First Amendment rights have been under attack, but America still leads in our ability to express ourselves.
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4. GENEROSITY. This year has also brought into focus the importance of American generosity. America is the most generous nation on the planet according to data from the World Giving Index. Only 18 percent of the $427 billion in charitable donations made by Americans in 2018 came from foundations. The bulk of charitable donations - 68% in 2018 - are made by individuals. The impacts of this giving are both broad and deep.
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5. SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. Finally, we can't describe America's treasures without recognizing her people - those ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things. Over the last year, there were many who didn't expect to be in the situation they were put in. There were people who lost loved ones, who lost family businesses, who were attacked by violent mobs or lost their incomes.
One near and dear to our family's heart was our young neighbor, Jake Clark. After a seven-year fight with cancer, Jake recently lost the battle. But he won the war. I was amazed by his positive attitude and his firm belief that "life is to be enjoyed." He lived with stage four cancer for six years and rarely would you hear him complain. He was positive and inspirational to everyone he knew. His story is like countless others.
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We live in a great nation. In our times of strife and desperation, remember the American spirit cannot be broken. We still have so much to fight for. Freedom and liberty have never been easily obtained. We should not expect them to be easily maintained. Like our forefathers, we have to fight to keep them. It's a fight we are well positioned to win.
God bless America this Fourth of July.
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