My grandparents immigrated here from India. Muthu, my grandfather, was on a train in India when he met two young men from America. I’m not sure what they told him about their homeland, but when he got back home he resolved to move here. He told his family about his dream of coming here, and they affectionately nicknamed him “American boy.” They obviously didn’t take him seriously. To them, in the early 1950s, it must have seemed like a pipe dream that a young man from a small village in India might travel halfway across the globe to America. But with a little money from a dowry and an invitation to study at Carnegie Mellon University, he traveled to America and later brought his wife and son with him. What was so attractive about America?
My grandfather was a scientist and inventor, and no other place embodies the spirit of invention like America. He recognized this. He wanted to contribute to it, to be a part of it. He immersed himself in this culture. He became an American. And he raised his children to be Americans.
And though it may sound trite, it’s true—we Americans stand today on the shoulders of giants. Men like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Hancock risked winding up on the wrong end of a rope by signing the Declaration of Independence. Thankfully for us they prevailed, creating arguably the most ingenious and influential form of governance the world had ever seen. They laid the foundation for all our culture’s achievements. My grandparents would not have dreamed of America were it not for the actions of those visionary leaders. I believe many wouldn’t have.
Since then, those who called themselves Americans have created countless things at which the founding fathers would have marveled. Satellites orbiting the earth, vaccines to cure diseases, and communication devices straight out of science fiction. Manned flight, nuclear energy, laser beams, refrigeration and the cellular phone—all invented here, by Americans. We’ve built industries that have changed the world, as well as a vibrant culture combining art forms like the blues, jazz, photography and cinema. And we’ve shared them with the world. Being an American is worth celebrating.
On the fourth of July, the United States of America will become 241 years old. And as I watch fireworks light the sky and feel the percussion of cannons, I’ll be celebrating not just the bravery and brilliance of our founding fathers, but also those two young men on that train in India, who must have shared with my grandfather their passion for the American experience.