Missing the great America I used to know

The sun sets behind the memorial for the victims of the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Children are not safe either, says the writer, as gun violence is rampant at schools too. – AFP

THE title may be misleading, but I do not miss the “Great America” that Donald Trump promised in his political campaign motto “Make America Great Again.” I miss the truly great America I used to know and admired in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s when I lived in the United States.

I miss the great America that heartily pursued and generously embraced cultural and ethnic diversity. I miss the great America that was warmhearted and friendly to foreigners and immigrants. I miss the great America that actively played the role of a defender of freedom and a peacemaker in international conflicts. I miss the great America that was not divided by extreme political ideologies and enmities.