It can be extremely difficult to stay positive and believe in a better tomorrow with all of the naysayers predicting and projecting the imminent demise of a great nation. With politicians claiming that “we have to take our country back” and “make America great again”. One may ask; who is “we” and “take our country back” from whom? Are they talking about people who look like me?
For the naysayers, a population that is projected to soar to over 400 million by 2050, an additional 100 million citizens translate into a disastrous nation with declining resources, global warming, and a social and economic decaying American Empire.
The naysayers are continuously lamenting the loss of the 1960s America when it was a nation of 160 million, 90 percent white and 10 percent black, with a few million Hispanics and Asians sprinkled here and there for good measure and everyone spoke the English language. Unfortunately, some cultures have used their longevity in the U.S. as an excuse to exclude and discriminate against others.
The undeniable fact of the matter is that there is a demographic shift that will have a monumental impact on business, politics, consumer markets, and workforce, to name a few. The future of the U.S. and its competitiveness is intrinsically woven into the fate of the minority population, which will be the new majority. We have to be willing to accept the change and the fact that the future America will look very different from the America of the 60s.
As a nation, we have to be willing to embrace new beginnings and accept the fact that the face of our nation is changing. Just like when we get married or a child is born, or a loved one passes away, we know that our lives will change in a dramatic way. These major turning points represent a point of no return, life will never be the same again, and they occur when we have come to the end of the old and are on the cusp of a new chapter in our lives. Our Nation will never go back to being the America of the 60s. There is simply no going back as that chapter in our Nation’s history has closed.
While every race has its unique culture, beliefs, and quirkiness, all aspire to the same things in life. They all want to live life to its fullest in peace, prosper, succeed, and have a family. These basic needs far outweigh the individual differences in each culture.
The America of today is multi-racial and the cultural influence from the various ethnic groups is felt from shore to shore. To envision an America untouched by these ethnic groups is to imagine a country without much of its folklore and many of its achievements. Woven into many facets of our nation’s history is the contributions of these ethnic groups to the development and success of America.
The multi-racial facet of our America is what is going to give us a competitive advantage in the global market. Americans will be able to put forth a Latino American, Asian American, African American, Muslim American, and any other ethnic background that can speak the language and understands the culture of each and every market around the world.
Let’s honor our different cultures, celebrate our unity as Americans, and meet on common ground. Let’s take the best that each culture has to offer and create the perfect American culture, like the perfect sauce with the finest ingredients.
