By Ilir Zherka
The United States continues to struggle with competing views around cultural, economic, and international issues. Thankfully, Americans share more common ground than it may seem.
I believe that ethnic Americans, in particular, embrace the core values of democracy, opportunity, and diversity that motivated them or their ancestors to come to the United States in the first place.
Those of us who embrace those values should consider choosing leaders in United States who are advancing those values. I would put opportunity at the top.
Yes, my family and I escaped a hostile communist regime when we came to the United States. But we choose the U.S. because, here, you can be anything you want to be. If you work hard enough, in America your race, and social, ethnic, and religious background do not matter. You can succeed.
Opportunity for all is the true American Dream.
How do we know if a leader is supporting opportunity in this country? In my view, that person is working to strengthen public education and make higher education affordable for all. Our journey from immigrants to thriving Americans has always been dependent on learning the skills necessary to get ahead. A solid public education makes that possible.
A leader who supports opportunity also promotes small business growth by reducing regulatory burdens and the cost of healthcare policies. For many Albanian and other ethnic Americans, their family’s livelihood is dependent on their small businesses thriving.
It is also important for families that childcare and housing are affordable. Ask yourself, does the person seeking my support embrace policies that expressly and directly seek to bring down those costs?
Opportunity in America is hollow, however, unless our leaders embrace America as a multicultural and multiethnic nation.
If, today, somehow it is ok to blame certain ethnic or religious minorities for our problems, then tomorrow someone will do the same to us. It is the “what goes around comes around” truism of the human condition. We must remember that every American is potentially an outsider to someone from a more dominant group.
Until recently, leaders from both parties recognized that our diversity as a nation made us stronger, not weaker. They sought to unify us around that ideal.
As a country, we need to get back to supporting only leaders who embrace diversity because those leaders also make opportunity in the United States and the American dream possible for all.
Ilir Zherka is a pro-Albanian American activist and a pioneering human and civil rights leader.