Wall Street Journal - November 27, 2002
America Rocks
By TED NUGENT
JACKSON, Mich. -- As the war on terrorism continues and as war with Iraq appears to loom ominously in the not so distant future, Americans must be equally vigilant to remain thankful that we live in the greatest country the world has ever known.
Thanksgiving is a very important holiday and celebration in the Nugent household. We don't believe that Thanksgiving, as some retailers would try to lead us to believe, is a mere bump in the road between Halloween and Christmas, but a very special holiday that naturally comes during the hunting season as we finish up the natural season of harvest. It is fitting that we celebrate all of the blessings that God has bestowed upon our family and America.
Thanksgiving is not an anachronism whose time is past. It is much more than a holiday to celebrate a meal shared between the Pilgrims and Native Americans. It is a time to reflect and be thankful for what we have -- not for what we cherish, desire or envy. Rich or poor, every American has many things to be thankful for, not the least of which is that we live in a country where our freedom and individual dedication and hard work define the limits to your success, whatever your aspirations, dreams and goals may be. The American Dream is still yours for the making. Be very thankful for that. More importantly, be smart enough to seize it.
With our men and women in the military in harms way defending freedom, we should be thankful that many of our young people have answered the call of patriotism and love of country to serve in our armed forces and defend our way of life. Without their numerous personal sacrifices and the sacrifices of generations of veterans who have gone before them, there would be little in America to be thankful for. Say a prayer this Thanksgiving for our brave warriors who are separated from their loved ones by thousands of miles.
We should all be thankful for corporate America and the smart, savvy men and women who are steering their companies through turbulent economic times. Contrary to the high-profile news reports of the past year concerning the very immoral and criminal acts of some of the officers of Enron, Global Crossing and Worldcom, these morally bankrupt company officers remain the pathetic exception rather than the rule in the American free enterprise system.
There are untold tens of thousands of honest people with high moral and ethical standards at the helm of American businesses. I know some of them, have worked with others, and admire many more of them for their business acumen. These leaders rarely make the news for doing what is best for their companies, but they are out there nonetheless trying to find innovative ways to expand existing markets and open up new business channels so their companies will be profitable, stockholders will make money, and millions of Americans will have good jobs for years to come. Capitalism is the fuel that propels this experiment in self-government forward. Be thankful for those ethical, dedicated people who steer American businesses.
Having met tens of thousands of Americans in my music and hunting travels over the past 40 years, I'm buoyed and thankful that the American spirit still soars high on the wings of an eagle. From cops to priests to firemen to guitar players, the rugged, defiant American spirit that has built and nurtured America is alive, prospering and kicking. I remain convinced America is the land of hard working, caring, law abiding people who go about their daily lives trying to provide a better life for their families, which, in the final analysis, leads to a more vibrant America overall. Rush hour and traffic jams are beautiful things. They prove we rock.
America isn't at a social or political crossroads as some will try to tell us. Those who believe that would have told you 500 years ago that the earth was flat. Thirty years ago they would have been stoned on LSD, drooling and dancing naked at a Grateful Dead concert. My advice is to avoid these people. They will always gravitate towards the negative. Take it from an old, cocky rock 'n' roll guitar player whose God-given senses remain finely tuned: America's best days are in front of us.
Mr. Nugent , a hunter and musician, is co-author, with his wife Shemane, of "Kill It & Grill It" (Regnery, 2002).