The Oval Perspective
Growing up in Mexico, I loved Saturdays because that meant I would be watching college football all day. A big part of the experience of watching football games for me was listening to the anthem. It is hard to describe the feeling I had when I heard the Star Spangled Banner being played at the beginning of every game. It was like something inside me bubbled up and almost every time as I listened to it, I would be moved to tears. I didn’t realize then, I had a profound love for this nation I am now blessed to call home.
I’ve heard many opinions from various people about why the United States of America is so powerful, has so much influence, and innovation. I mean, even watching American TV commercials was a delightful experience! A few years ago, I set out to discover why this nation is the greatest nation in the world. And what I discovered has shaped my view of this country in a way I didn’t expect.
In 2016, I became interested in American politics, but not just the current candidates, I wanted to know how this nation was founded and how it got to where it is today. After years of reading, researching and debates, I came to the conclusion that this nation was built on principles that have upheld the longest-lasting constitution in modern-day world history. Those principles came from Judeo-Christian beliefs centered around the understanding that there is a God who is above all and of people who live a life of virtue.
I’ve loved America since I was a little boy. I was scheduled to be delivered on July 4th, but I ended up being born on the 3rd due to delivery complications. Even though I loved this country, it took me years to embrace the culture and learn the language even after I moved here with my family. After 20 years of living here, I still felt like I didn’t belong.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” When these words came alive to me, it changed my life! All men are created equal, not just some men. If you believe that, you belong. I do believe that and now I feel like I belong and am now a proud American.
The United States of America is not about a certain ethnicity or race, it’s an idea! It has nothing to do with how we talk or look on the outside or where we come from. It’s about your mindset. If you believe in this idea of America, you too can belong to this great nation.
What makes America so great? That’s a great question I asked myself many years ago. I believe this nation is great because it was founded by humble men who knew they needed wisdom from heaven to create this new form of government that had never existed before: A Republic. The Founding Fathers publicly prayed before their gatherings for wisdom to be able to develop a concept that required a virtuous people to be sustained. But this is a topic I will expand more on in a different post. I will say this: I really believe that because we have been inviting God’s wisdom into this nation, we have been prospered tremendously.
So what is the Oval Perspective and why should you read it? It is a weekly opinion column where I will share my perspective on the most important geopolitical and economic issues around the world. My goal is to bring you, the reader, an objective perspective of what I believe, current leaders in this world are pondering themselves as they weigh the possible outcomes of the decisions they have to make. I feel it’s so important that we look at issues not just singularly but understand the many angles and complexities involved with each decision POTUS has to make that affect America and the world.