Tuesday
November 27, 2001

I am Gresha Azizi, a very lucky person to be born free in the United States of America.

Our country is only two centuries old and we've helped many nations improve our world. We are free to become anything we want and we are free to try new things. It is up to ourselves to choose the path we take. Our minds and imagination are the only things that can stop us. We can make a difference.

I realize how many things we take for granted. I'm grateful to our forefathers for giving us the constitution to have free speech, freedom of religion and education. We've no fear of persecution. In our freedom to read newspapers and watch television, I see human suffering.

How grateful we are to have planes and cars to ride in when many poor countries only have their feet for transportation. How difficult it must be for the handicapped not to have wheelchairs. It's also nice to have running water at the turn of a faucet.

I wouldn't like it if someone told me what to think and what to believe in. We have so much in our great country. I don't think we realize how lucky we are most of the time. It takes a tragedy to happen before we slow down and give God thanks. God bless America, the land I love.

If I were rich in a poor country the government there might take everything I had and I would be poor like everyone else. I'm very glad I live in a good country that has clean swimming pools for us to swim in, and lots of good food to eat, clean clothes to wear, and to go to movies and be allowed to play or listen to any kind of music. I love America.

To be honest, when I started this report I had to really think about what being a citizen of the United States meant to me. I found it a little difficult at first. I've lived in several places. I never really gave our armed forces much thought. I now live next to the Coast Guard base. And I used to live next to an Army base and an Air Force base. I always enjoyed air shows and sitting in the pilot's seat - and they can do the best tricks in the air. These are the people who have fought to save our way of life - wow!

All races can live here without being discriminated against. How lucky I am to learn from my friends and their families their customs and beliefs. We respect one another for who we are.

Just think how dangerous and how long it took our ancestors to travel to America so long ago. I thank my ancestors for wanting a better life for them and their families. We also have an easier life now because of our ancestors.

I am, and we all are, very special because we get to be Americans and someday when I grow up, it will be our turn to protect the land we love.