When started my business life, I worked for American companies and in the decades to follow I continued working for American companies. As a consequence, I had the opportunity to visit the US many many times (100+ times). I could visit many cities and travel the country from left to right, up and down, during different seasons, by car, plane and train. And I was blown away by the nature of this country and the open-minded attitude of the people you meet across this huge country. In general, everybody was open and tried to help you, if needed.
A couple of days after 9/11, I flew into Los Angeles and I experienced first hand what this catastrophic attack has started to plant into this nation. Who ever looked different was suspicious and treated with a very special protocol. Over the years, the country changed massively. Today, America is no longer the same. People are deeply divided and everybody is suspicious against everybody. There are for sure more route causes than 9/11, whether it is the growing distance between rich and poor or the massive difference between cities and rural areas. Alarming statistics…3.261 people were wounded in shootings in Chicago in 2020 – an increase of 50% YoY, black individuals are 32 times (!!!!) more likely to die in a shooting than white people.
In the meanwhile I am selective to fly to the US. As much as I like the nature, people have changed so much that you have to be careful with whom you are talking and how to express your opinion.
As an anecdote: During the last days, I met two Americans living in Girona. One guy is living here since about 2 years, originally from Atlanta, and the other guy just moved here recently from San Diego. Both explained me that they left the US because, for colored people, it is hard to live a normal life. And they both enjoy the life in Europe much more compared to that. Both stated that there are no plans to ever get back to the US…
When you add the political turmoil in the US to this story, I am not sure where the nation is heading. It is a beautiful country with lots of power and influence, but the path the nation is on, is super dangerous. Dividing a nation never helps. Uniting people and have a good set of values to represent is something, that made America great. Would be great to see the country turning back into this direction, than dividing more and more.
