It’s been a great week to be an American.
First, the Olympics. How could you live in this country and have dry eyes as Team U.S.A. entered the stadium during the Opening Ceremonies? Hundreds of the finest athletes in the history of the world marched in, smiling and laughing, wearing the colors of our country.
Then, they began to compete. When I was a child, this was when it went downhill. This was when the pride took a beating as professionals from communist countries dominated the medal count.
Not any more. In almost every venue our stars shine brightly. In many we absolutely dominate. It makes you wonder if London had its modern-day version of Paul Revere running around the city exclaiming, “The Americans are coming!”
That would be a great message for the world to hear. Perk up your ears, world. Perhaps you think that all of us are as ashamed of American excellence as some of our leaders seem to be. Maybe you were surprised, or even offended, by the by our chants of “U.S.A., U.S.A.!”
Well, world, that’s tough. Get used to it.
You weren’t dreaming when thousands clapped in rhythm as Gabby Douglas performed her floor exercise. That was real. So were the thunderous cheers when the swimmers ruled the waters.
You see, this isn’t about sports. Tuesday night proved that. Election night.
I had the TV tuned to the Olympics. My iPad was in my hand with election results reporting in real time. And I was proud. So very, very proud.
I was proud of the candidates who answered the call to offer their services to the public. More than that, I was proud of the voters. Turnout in some places was twice as large as I usually expect for a primary election. If people think the citizens are apathetic, they are dead wrong.
Later in the week, at Chick-fil-A restaurants across the nation, Americans spoke again. Almost every restaurant brimmed with customers. Lines for the drive-thru service wrapped twice around many establishments. These people weren’t there because they all got hungry at the same time. And they weren’t there to express hatred toward any group of people.
They came to support a business that is built upon sound principles and practices what it preaches. Chick-fil-A has “walked the talk” in communities for many years and thousands of people have benefited from their generosity and civic-minded efforts. It was great to see the silent majority show support.
You see, the silent majority is finding its voice. Ronald Reagan used to say “It’s morning in America.”
Well, I hear the alarm clock ringing. The Americans are coming.






