2004 Speeches

American Diversity

July 4, 2004

Dr. Roy L. Austin
United States Ambassador
4th of July Reception
Trinidad Country Club

Senator the Honorable Danny Montano - Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Ministers of Government, Former Presidents, Members of the Senate, Honorable Members of Parliament, Colleagues of the Diplomatic Corps and International Organizations, Members of the Judiciary, Ministers of Religion, Government Officials, Members of the Business Community, Members of the Media, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen. Good evening!

We have come together to celebrate the independence of the United States of America and, as we have done in my two previous years as Ambassador, to recognize an important source of our success, the diversity of peoples with which we are blessed. As the people of Trinidad and Tobago are well aware, diversity is pregnant with possibilities but may bear sweet or sour fruit.

American diversity is at once the foundation and the guarantor of American democracy. It is the foundation because diverse peoples hold varied interests, from which emerges an active, involved and vibrant electorate. It is the guarantor because if there is one thing on which many of us agree, it is that everyone has the right to a voice in their government.

Upon reflection, then, the United States shares much with Trinidad and Tobago. We are neighbors, sharing a common region of the world. We share a common foundation of diverse peoples. And we share common values, including respect for diversity, and faith in democracy.

This evening, I shall highlight the roots of our diversity, reaffirm our commitment to equality and mention some positive outcomes our diversity has inspired. Before concluding my remarks, I shall recognize those brave Americans who continue to uphold our noble tradition of sacrifice in the pursuit of liberty.

For the earliest European settlers of our shores, America represented freedom, especially freedom of religion and freedom from religious persecution. In 1620, a community of religious folk known as the Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower seeking to establish a Bible-centered community where they could practice their interpretation of Christianity free from discrimination. Soon, other peoples followed their example, and America became home to Puritans, Quakers, Anglicans and Catholics; to English, French, Dutch and Danish. Religious tolerance was among the first of our core values, and with it we began to learn respect for diversity.

In the eighteenth century, America became the working laboratory of Enlightenment ideals. Democracy supplanted aristocracy, equality superceded estate, and suffrage replaced homage. After winning our Independence, we enshrined our beliefs in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment to the Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances.”

America was independent, its society became increasingly diverse, but we still had much to learn about appreciation for diversity. According to our Declaration of Independence, all men are created equal; but for long stretches of our history there was inequality of treatment.

Many struggles occurred on the difficult road to true equality. By the 1860s, one-third of the Southern States’ entire population was subjected to slavery, and we were soon to pay the heavy price of our Founding Fathers’ compromise. In order to right a terrible wrong, our country was torn apart, and we paid for our ignorance with the lives of 620,000 of our countrymen. Happily, many of our people obtained greater freedom; and that freedom was codified in the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments which abolished slavery, guaranteed citizens equal protection under the law and the right to vote, irrespective of race or color. Yet ignorance and intolerance remained.

One hundred long years passed, but Americans still had not fully embraced many of our citizens, especially those of African descent. And so our society convulsed yet again during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Under the tutelage of visionaries such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Americans with a vision of creating a more just society stood up for an extension of rights, marched for equality and demonstrated for change. Americans developed greater respect for diversity. More of us learnt to value the intrinsic merits of all humans, not just Europeans; and not just men.

Certainly, women too, faced a long battle for equality in America. It took two world wars for Americans to realize the rugged and independent character of our better halves. While our men were fighting for freedom overseas, it was our women who kept America running. Through their hard work and sacrifice, our women earned the respect and gratitude of our nation. In 1920, the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote, and with it came universal suffrage for American citizens. Yet it was not until well after World War II, during the 1970’s, that we began to redress grievances such as unequal pay and unequal opportunities in the workforce, the Women’s Liberation Movement leading the way. But we are redressing those grievances, and a whole host of others in the process.

Today, Americans hold a healthy respect for diversity. We have learned through difficult challenges and compelling introspection. In these confused times, however, there are some who have overlooked this fundamental characteristic of American society. There are those who accuse us of waging war on Islam or of favoring one religion or another. This accusation is false. The fact is that on September 20, 2001, less than ten days after one of the most vicious attacks on American soil ever, President Bush reminded the nation, and indeed the world, of what we stand for. In an address to a Joint Session of Congress, he said, “I want to speak tonight directly to Muslims throughout the world. We respect your faith. It’s practiced freely by many millions of Americans, and by millions more in countries that America counts as friends. Its teachings are good and peaceful … the enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends … our enemy is a radical network of terrorists.”

Even during one of our darkest hours, America never lost sight of the value of our diversity, and we recommitted ourselves to the sanctity of freedom, refusing to let the wickedness of the few corrupt our esteem for the many. This is what America stands for.

But we still have more to learn. As the recent events at Abu Ghraib prison have unfortunately demonstrated, not all of us have learned the fundamental lesson of universal respect. But, to paraphrase Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, America will investigate the matter, determine the truth, find the problem and punish those who are guilty, all in an open and transparent manner. This is what democracies do. Such is the nature of our country, and despite our shortcomings, we are always moving forward, always learning and improving, with the dignity of humanity as our compass.

The strength of our diversity has manifested itself in other ways, as well. Being a nation of immigrants, Americans have many ties to the countries we once called “home”. Consequently, America is an enormous contributor of monetary, technical and humanitarian aid throughout the world. Our strong humanitarianism, which these contributions demonstrate, originates in our religious heritage.

I provide you now with a few more specific examples of Americans’ kindly disposition. The United States of America is currently the single largest contributor of financial assistance in the World. In 2003 alone, we contributed $15.8 billion dollars in Official Development Assistance (ODA) to underprivileged nations, nearly twice that of the next most generous nation, Japan. We have held the distinction of being the world’s largest contributor for each of the last four years. What’s more, the United States has increased its ODA each of the last two years, boosting our donations by 11.6% since 2002.

The United States recognizes that the best way to lift nations out of poverty and guide them into the twenty-first century is to help them help themselves. Through targeted investments and government assistance, we support countries that govern justly, invest in their people, and encourage economic freedom. Consequently, the United States has pledged $15 billion dollars through FY2006 to the Millennium Challenge Account.

Nevertheless, there are those who question our generosity. They say that in terms of percentage of GNP we give less than any of the other 21 countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It is true that countries such as Norway, Denmark and Sweden have met the goal for official Development Assistance set at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992; but it is also true that the combined average for the 22 OECD countries since 1992 fall for short of the goal.

However, America is a country that values free enterprise and relatively laissez-faire economics. The tax burden on our citizens is less than that of Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Sweden. Therefore, our government has relatively less tax revenues to donate as a percentage of GNP. But our lighter tax burden allows American generosity to manifest itself in another way -- through private donations.

The generosity of private American citizens surpasses that of even our own government. The latest estimates indicate that our citizens gave at least $34 billion dollars in 2003 – more than twice that of the U.S. government. U.S. businesses, foundations, religious ministries universities and individuals all contribute. Furthermore, Americans give in hard work, sweat, headaches and heartaches to serve the World’s poor, sick and oppressed. How can we measure their contribution?

Ladies and gentlemen, America is generous because we have been blessed. We have been blessed with the talents, capacity for hard work and ambition of all the peoples of the world. We have been blessed with diversity. Our diversity has helped to make us great, just as Trinidad and Tobago’s diversity gives it the potential to achieve its 2020 vision of greatness.

Before I end my remarks tonight, let us remember that America has many brave citizens and soldiers overseas right now struggling for freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. These men and women are thousands of miles away from home not because their country loves war, but because she hopes for peace. The sacrifices of these Americans and our allies in Afghanistan and Iraq have provided an opportunity for the people of these countries to enjoy freedoms that Americans, Trinidadians and millions of other people around the world take for granted. How many of us here tonight will willingly give up our democratic governments? Are there humans who prefer to live under a less free system of government than ours? If you believe so, then you have a poor understanding of the human spirit. As the recent handover of sovereignty in Iraq and the continued struggle for stable democracy in Afghanistan demonstrate, some things are worth fighting for. Nevertheless, tonight, I echo the sentiments of President Bush who dedicated this past Memorial Day, one of our most solemn holidays, as a day of prayer for permanent peace. May our sacrifices not be in vain; and may the strength of our diversity and the Almighty carry America and the rest of the world to a brighter tomorrow.

Thank you.