Being American
Happy 4th. What it means for me to be American.
I’m a new American, only 2 years old. In my first American election I voted in Colorado, among others, on these issues:
Allow charitable gaming operators to be paid and allow the Legislature to determine how long an organization must exist to obtain a charitable gaming license
Reduce the state income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.40%
Decriminalize the use of the psychedelic plants and fungi and create a services program for administration of such substances
Dedicate 0.1% of existing income tax revenue to a new State Affordable Housing Fund
Increase the number of retail liquor store licenses an individual can own or hold a share in
Create a new fermented malt beverage and wine retailer license to allow stores that are licensed to sell beer to also sell wine
Allow retail establishments licensed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption to offer deliveries
Reduce income tax deduction caps and allocate increased revenue to a program for free school meals and local school food grants
Require a table showing changes in income tax owed for average taxpayers in certain brackets to be included in the ballot title for initiated measures
Six of these nine measures passed. These types of grass root, local ballot measures are rarely reported in mass media unless there’s a media worthy shock value attached to it, such as our psychedelic mushroom measure. But this is what I think is the real America. Deciding on a range of issues that affect your everyday life, close to home.
When I moved to America I had already studied there, had relatives there, and had made dozens and dozens of business trips to the East and West Coast. I thought I knew a little bit what life in America would be like. But it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to live and work in states as different as New York, Louisiana, Colorado, and Washington DC to really understand the core essence of this beautiful society.
To me, being American is first and foremost being part of a community.
In each state, being part of the community manifests in different ways, but it is always present. New Yorkers pride in their unique city and state, being the melting pot of the melting pots. Louisiana is the underdog in many ways statistically, but in real life it is the mother essence of life and beauty. New Orleans, the epicenter of all of that life, history, color, and spirit is incomparable to any other place. Colorado, in many ways similar to Finland, is an upright state with sporty, healthy, and intellectual people who care about the world and the future. Washington DC is another international hub of excitement, vibrating with power and sizzle.
To me, being American is embracing the values of freedom and opportunity. It took me a really long time to understand what the American freedom is all about. It’s hard to explain, you have to live it to understand it. If I had to describe it, I would say it’s the mentality of being able to do what you want as long as you are ready to carry the consequences. It’s a type of thought where, if you want to do something, you first think is this a good idea, is it worth my time, are there others who might enjoy this. The question ‘is this allowed’ doesn’t come until much much later, if ever.
For Ismo and me, two entrepreneurs with curious minds to test out all kinds of things this was like heaven.
The American value of responsibility is also strong. Working in the international world of public-private-partnerships, it is reassuring to have America as an ally in R&D and policy.
On this 4th of July, I miss my American friends, our bbq’s and parties. We moved back to Europe but we will always be Americans at heart. Happy Independence Day!
Petra