What America Means to Me: An Immigrant’s Perspective
July 20, 2023 | Montgomery County, TX
by Attorney Martin Etwop
As an immigrant who came to this country 17 years ago, I still thank God for the gift and the privilege of allowing me to be called an American. Why? Because despite its faults and failures, America is still the freest, the most generous, and the most welcoming nation in the world.
This nation on its own kept Europe from extinction during World War II. The U.S. has and still continues to provide safety, security, and sustenance for the rest of the world. Go to almost any country and you will find that the United States, using taxpayer dollars, helps to provide infrastructure development, food security, national security (ask Europe if you don’t believe this), and community development funding. The United States gives much-needed aid even to nations and peoples that hate us, and America has dared to create opportunities for others to dream and become someone they could never have imagined would be possible, except in America.
I do not think I would have accomplished even a tiny percentage of what I have, if not for the opportunities this nation has given me. America has created a gem out of me, and many people just like me.
The Right To Be an Individual
America is the only country comprised of people from every nation on earth and provides the same opportunities for success to everyone, regardless of what they look like or where they come from. It is the only nation that values the right to be an individual created in the image of God.
But of course, because of America’s generosity, not a single day passes when those nefarious elements, our enemies, do not attempt to take advantage of us. Because they cannot defeat the U.S. economically or militarily, they choose to sow hatred and create chaos and divisions among us. They try to divide us like Hitler divided Germany.
Because they cannot defeat the U.S. economically or militarily, they choose to sow hatred and create chaos and divisions among us. They try to divide us like Hitler divided Germany.
These people hate us because of the values that we hold dear. The values of freedom and liberty, the belief that we belong only to God and not to the government, and the idea that all men are created equal, which goes against their premise that kings or oligarchs must rule over the people. In America, “We the People” are “king,” and because of this, our enemies hate us and will do everything they can to destroy us. Our Judeo-Christian heritage is a threat to them, and they try to eliminate any mention of God in our schools, our families, and our societies.
It is unfortunate that these nefarious elements, whose success is a direct result of the greatness and generosity of America, have been able to turn some of our very own people against us. They have blinded some to the truth of what is most important by rewarding laziness over hard work, sinfulness and crime over right living. They have infiltrated our education system because they know that the only way to defeat us is to indoctrinate our children. From there, they have infiltrated all segments of our system, misleading many and causing destruction along the way.
America Is Worth Fighting For
But as Americans, we are strong, we are resilient, we are fighters. We defeated the British with relatively few soldiers. We stopped the evil alliance during World War II, and we will conquer the corrupt enemies trying to subjugate us today.
This is why, as an immigrant to America, someone who has been able to achieve what can only be considered a dream by others, someone who has been plucked from the dunghill of despair to the mountaintop of freedom, I am proud to call America my home.
In America, I can sleep at night without fear of thugs in military gear coming to make me disappear, never to be heard from again. My children do not have to be scared that they will be abducted and forced to become child soldiers or child brides for whatever military group is in charge. I can homeschool my children and teach them the values that I cherish—to love God, love country, and work hard to achieve whatever calling God has for them.
And I will do everything that I possibly can to defend, protect, and fight for this blessing called America that the Lord has given me the opportunity to be a part of.
God bless America.
Martin Etwop was born and raised in Uganda. He is a resident of Montgomery County and is licensed with the State Bar of Texas. He achieved another of his dreams when he was sworn in as an attorney on April 19 by Justice Jay Wright of the Texas 9th Court of Appeals.