In the midst of a long-range patrol, my team conducted a “village assessment” in the early days of the war in Afghanistan – a snapshot of life in remote areas to determine whether Taliban or Al Qaeda holdouts were present. We gathered active and passive intelligence for a clearer picture of the area of operations, sometimes gleaning meaningful ways to better the lives of a war-torn people.
On this occasion I spoke to a village elder somewhere in the middle of the backside of nowhere who spent several minutes telling me how horrible everything was: “The Taliban blew up the school ... the mosque has a leaking roof … the crops are dying … the bombs killed many goats … the well has run dry.” I finally held up my hand. “Why do you live here?” I asked through my interpreter.
He was incredulous. This was their home!
Okay. Fair enough. If you love a place and call it home … great! I find no fault with choosing to stay where you love, even if it’s not the best of the best. But are you going to wallow in your complaints? Are you going to obsessively ruminate on what you don’t have? Or are you going to impact your culture, build your community, and make your choice of home a better place?
A story out of Dearborn, Mich., told of a large crowd gathered as part of an Islamic religious holiday. As the crowd gathered, a local Islamic activist began leading them in shouts of “death to America!” While absorbing all that comes from being a resident of the nation that does more, has more, and means more than any on the face of the planet, they yelled, “Death to America!”
I will repeat my question: Why do they live here?! We can set up a GoFundMe site and purchase a set of plane tickets in no time. They can all be on their way to places where they can shout “death to America” while not having to breathe our air. The crowd that day in Dearborn was so busy complaining, so busy hating, that they lost sight of what they have.
The American dream is still very much alive.
“The American dream is not that every man must be level with every other man.” Ronald Reagan once said. “The American dream is that every man must be free to become whatever God intends he should become.” But attaining that American dream does not come from a life filled with complaints. It comes from a life filled with appreciation, aspiration, and a willingness to see complaints as nothing but mere obstacles left to be overcome.
Why do we live here? Why do we live right here? Truthfully, my own “right here” is North Alabama and there’s no place else I’d rather be.
There’s a lot to be proud of right now. A great deal of positive attention is being given to the Southeast, particularly Alabama.
“[F]or the past four years, you’ve lived in a state known for its fighters, its champions and its warriors, and you’ve lived in the great state of Alabama, one of the greatest of them all,” President Donald Trump said recently at the University of Alabama’s commencement. “From Huntsville to Birmingham, from Montgomery to Mobile, and from right here in Tuscaloosa to the gleaming shores of the Gulf of America.”
FBI Director Kash Patel called Redstone Arsenal one of the FBI’s “crown jewels,” with “capabilities that 'don’t exist anywhere else.'” A recent Government Accountability Office report on the location of Space Command confirmed that Alabama outpaced all other competitors for such things as quality of life, cost of living, robust capabilities, and ease of access. Mercedes-Benz announced a major production expansion for its Alabama plant. The new U.S. Steel/Nippon Steel agreement includes massive investment in our state.
This is where generations of my family have lived and worked to make our mark in politics, business, the military, in our churches and communities. I have been to many other places, and I always want to return here. I love the way the seasons change in North Alabama and the way the beaches stay white on our coast. Everywhere you go, there’s a church steeple in the distance, and folks still see their neighbors at the grocery store. We still buy wrapping paper from neighbor kids for the school fundraiser, and you can order sweet tea at any restaurant in this state. We have the finest research facilities, medical innovations, manufacturing bases, and small businesses anywhere. Alabama’s active military and veteran community is stronger than most, and we thank them for their service year-round.
But I’m also not content to just let it be. I live here, and I want my “here” to be great. Is it possible for Alabama to be better? One hundred percent yes! I get frustrated with the politics and the politicians (I was one!), but I see a caliber of political leadership here that I would put up against any other. Bragging rights all around.
Wherever “here” may be, ask yourself, “Why do I live here?” Be mindful of the reasons. Do you appreciate where you live? Do you try to make it better?
Complaining is a fool’s errand. Mere complaints solve nothing. Move past the complaints and make your “here” better.
I know why I live here. I know what we’ve got, and I know what we can be.
So why do you live here? And what are you going to do about it?
To contact Phil or request him for a speaking engagement, go to www.rightsideradio.org.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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