A Post from the Philippines About America

I happened to run across this post on a sports message board and received the author's permission to post it here.
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I'm proud to be an American.

I'm currently staying in a Marriott hotel in the Philippines. I've been in this hotel since October. . . . There are a few different guests that have been here for multiple months. I've become friends with a man from Egypt and another from Pakistan. Both of these men are much older, approaching retirement. Talking to them about their views on life and their life experiences make me grateful of the stability of our country. We have dinner at least three times a week and they each have different friends from different cultures that join from time to time. This is been an eye opening experience for me.

For all the political problems we have, the good old USA is still the greatest run country on earth or at the very worst, top 3.

That's one thing.

The other thing that makes me proud to be an American right now is this:

I'm about 100 miles west of where the landslide took place last week. Death tolls are rising daily. Local news this morning estimate the total to be around 2,500 now. It was very depressing around here.

Well, the hotel here is now swarming with US Army and US Marines. I've had the chance to talk with several of them. They talk about how devastating it is to this community who experienced something similar a few years ago. They talked about an entire village is gone. They talk about how grateful these villagers are for the help and support that came so quickly from the US. These men and women were back in the US last week. When the slide happened the US quickly mobilized relief efforts back in the US and sent soldiers here to help. The sight of the military personnel has seemed to really boost the spirits of the locals.

Again, for all the shortcomings that we have, and all the wrong reasons some mention for having a strong military, I'm so glad that we have the ability to help others when in dire need. And the attitude of our military here. They walk with pride yet carry themselves with humility. It makes me proud to be represented by them.

It's nice to get first-hand news like this.