Standing on a beach near Santa Monica, California, I imagine myself tossing a glass bottle containing a carefully crafted letter into the belly of the ocean. If the waves and the currents are on my side tonight, the letter will reach its intended destination. Soon, I hope, it will be in the hands of someone on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Of all my wishes for the person who receives my letter, I wish for an open mind. For me, this is of the utmost importance.

I need them to know the America they see on their television is not the truth. We do not live in mansions lining streets of gold. Quite the opposite is true. In fact, many of us rest easy knowing nearly half a million of our neighbors will go to bed each night without a roof over their head. Thousands of us die each year from preventable diseases. Thousands of us die because we cannot afford life-saving medication. In fact, some of us will be forced to make an impossible choice between bankruptcy and life. Many of us live in constant fear of hurting ourselves or hurting others. Countless numbers of our citizens find themselves gripped by depression or some other mental illness which will only be paid lip service by those with the power to change things.

Once the envy of the world, our political system seems unwilling or unable to solve our biggest challenges. In the year 2020, it seems our way of life is on the verge of collapse. Our institutions have betrayed us, tribalism divides, and our American identity no longer bends toward exceptionalism. Despite all our collective sins, our arch once bent toward progress. Now, its destination is unknown.

When they receive this message, I need them to send help as soon as possible. Perhaps, I am being too pessimistic, but I fear the America they have come to know will not last much longer. As a country, it will continue to exist in some form. What will be born in its place scares me more. For all the talk of outside influence, what really scares me is what will rise from within.

Help us save ourselves from ourselves.

It is foolish to place hope in a single person. Some may say America’s time has come and gone. The world is craving new ideas born from a nation that does not so regularly and hypocritically violate its own ideals. To this I say, the America you have known is not the America we can build for the future. I hope others recognize the greatest ideals of this country and once again hunger for those ideals to be shining on the nearest hills. To do so, we will need to retire nationalism in favor of something purer.

In my short life, my country has done some good throughout the world. Our power has preached democracy, individual rights, eradication of disease, liberation for those enslaved, and so much more.

America does not have to be the leader of the free world any longer, but I long for a time when we can lead alongside other nations born of new ideas longing for what we collectively hold true. I long for an America where my pride in it is matched by my experience of it in action.

Please, send others soon! We need to be reminded of the greatness of America.

Be good to each other,

Nathan 

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