Raising a glass (of Coke)
Before I get into the meat of my thoughts, I'd like to point out a few things:
1. The bigoted comments are getting attention because we need to understand that these attitudes are very much alive in our country.
2. I will not respond to any uncivil comments made on this post.
I didn't watch the super bowl. I caught the "best commercials" in Buzzfeed grouping. I can't figure out how to get my TV and cable box to talk to each other again and I frankly didn't care about either team. I really only like college football.
But as I was perusing the BF post, a few commercials made me tear up with immense pride for my country. One was definitely the homecoming parade. Ok, I sobbed. Can you blame me?)
The next was a stirring rendition of America the Beautiful, sung in a variety of languages over stunning visuals of my home.
Aaaand cue the outcry. English only!
About 120 years ago, my great great great grandfather, Peter Letkemann came to the U.S. from Russia with his wife and three of their children. They became naturalized five years later, able to speak English and cultivating a farm in Oklahoma.
If you track each of their soon eight children, you'll find that the family married fellow Russian Americans for two more generations (at least down the line of Peters that leads to my grandfather, Orville).
That tells me they were proud of their Russian heritage. That they loved Russia and America (to make the trip from Russia to New York in the late 1800s, I feel like you have to want to live here pretty badly). The origin of their children's names tells me they likely still spoke at least some Russian.
America is a melting pot. School House rock beat that into our brains. And I'm so proud and thankful for that. My family melted into Oklahoma, where we've been since our arrival.
If you've ever had fondue, especially fancy fondue at a place called The Melting Pot, you might find that the more complex dips are the best. That's why you use bread and mild veggies for dipping. To experience the song of the flavors. The mindful taster savors each bite, letting each note wash over them.
Sure, a pot full of melted Kraft American Singles might taste good. But it's pretty plain, pretty boring.
But if you flavor it with signature tastes from Italy, Mexico, China, Japan, France, Spain, India, Australia, or any variation, it becomes a delicacy. Something to be appreciated and thought of as special.
That Coke commercial was a tribute to America, because it is such a special place. No, we don't speak one single language. That would be a limit. The U.S. is a limitless place, where opportunities abound. We're one of only a few countries without an official language. I'm very proud of that. My parents, grandparents, and on fought for that (we have a pretty great U.S. Military history too!).
So I'm raising a glass (actually of Dasani. I'm seriously cutting my soda consumption, more on that later) because I'm so proud to be American.
Sure, they were selling a product, or more like an idea that they want associated with their product, but it stirred up something more in me. And I needed to tell you guys about it.
- -- Posted by lilmissmelmo on Tue, Feb 4, 2014, at 4:50 PM
- -- Posted by KH Gal on Tue, Feb 4, 2014, at 9:55 PM
- -- Posted by lilmissmelmo on Wed, Feb 5, 2014, at 9:11 AM
- -- Posted by lamont on Wed, Feb 5, 2014, at 10:26 PM
- -- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 6, 2014, at 8:04 AM
- -- Posted by MsMarylin on Thu, Feb 6, 2014, at 11:35 AM
- -- Posted by lamont on Thu, Feb 6, 2014, at 5:20 PM
- -- Posted by Dave Thompson on Fri, Feb 14, 2014, at 7:25 AM
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