WHAT AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL MEANS TO ME

    Editor’s Note: Davidson, a senior at Britton-Hecla, recently won first place in the District Americanism Essay Contest organized by the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 80. His essay will now be elevated to the next level of competition. The theme this year for the essay contest was “What does America the Beautiful mean to me?” Dashel is the son of Cristy Davidson and Tate Davidson. His winning essay is reprinted below:
      When we talk or even sing about America the Beautiful, we often get it wrong. The song lyrics describe beautiful fields of grain, mountains, plains, and seas. While there are undeniable attributes of the United States, they are not what make America so beautiful. To me, America the beautiful means the hard working people, the traditions, and the freedom. 
    From the minimum wage student, to the pensioned military general, the hard working people of America are what’s truly beautiful. The Founding Fathers and presidents are the first examples of Americans working hard for America to be beautiful. However, the 18 year old at basic training and the minimum wage burger flipper are all a part of what makes America so beautiful. What I want you to note is who works harder, and makes America more beautiful? Is it the senators and congressmen who fly first class twice a week? Or is it the son of a first generation immigrant whose first flight will take him into battle? So, when I think about what America the Beautiful means to me, I don’t think of sunkissed plains or snow capped mountains. I think of the hard working people from the bottom to the top.
    Our country is full of traditions. These traditions are a large part of what makes America, America the Beautiful. Some are specific traditions, while some are more broad cultural traditions. For example, America has a tradition of military superiority. America has always set and upheld the tradition and expectation that our military is the best, and our homeland is the safest. To me, that all sounds quite beautiful.
    Additionally, America’s spirit is strong, and many traditions are celebrated annually all across the nation. The 4th of July, the Super Bowl, and other events and holidays are some of the traditions that give our country its nickname, America the Beautiful. This is because they bring us together, help us remember how far we have come, and help us remember what we do it all for. 
    There is one more crucial piece missing from what America the Beautiful means to me. When I hear America the beautiful, or even just America, my immediate thought is freedom. Freedom is what America the Beautiful means to me, and it should be what America the Beautiful means to you too. Freedom, and the people that fought for it, are what distinguish America from all other countries and what makes it, America the Beautiful.
    As you have read, the title, America the Beautiful, can be misleading. To some people it may mean the vast oceans, enormous mountains, and never ending plains. While all three of these do contribute to what makes our country America the Beautiful, they are hardly significant. What is significant is the hard working people. People who work hard to retain America’s tradition of excellence are what make America, America the Beautiful. What America the Beautiful means to me is the freedom and traditions created by brave hard-working Americans.