America is a blessed land, the "promised land." Jacob prophesied that America was the Promised Land in the chapter heading of 1 Nephi Chapter 10. It says, "America will be a land of liberty where no king will rule." I think that is what makes America different, because it is a blessed land.
I found "What's Great About America" by Dinesh D'Souza which says, "America has gone further than any society in establishing equality of rights," which I thought was cool. It also says, "America is the only country that has created a population of "self-made tycoons." More than 50 percent of the Americans on the Forbes 400 "rich list" got there through their own efforts."
Todd Patkin also had great thoughts on why America is great. First he talked about our security. "While attacks from terrorists, both foreign and domestic, have proved that the United States is not completely invulnerable, we do live very secure lives compared with many of our brothers and sisters around the world. Wars are not being fought on our soil, and our neighbors are friendly. Can you imagine what it would be like to not feel safe walking out of your own front door, or to live in a city that has been literally and figuratively torn apart by conflict?"
Once I read this, I thought how blessed are are to live in a safe country where we are not really worried about war yet. I am glad that our country is not torn apart by conflict, and I am really grateful that I am safe when I step out my door!
The next thing he brought up was our standard of living. "Compared with so many other people on this planet, Americans live comfortable, secure, even luxurious lives. Most of us live in our own homes, drive our own cars, have plenty to eat, and enjoy amenities ranging from smartphones to laptops to grocery stores to movie theaters. I think our high standard of living can be difficult to fully appreciate unless you have traveled to other parts of the world and seen what "normal" is like in other countries."
Let's just admit that we live pretty great lives. I mean, we practically have everything!
The last thing he talks about is the American dream. "It's still alive and well. This is a country where you can do what you want, build a comfortable life, and even rise to impressive heights if you are positive and honest, and word hard."
I love this. He says we can rise to anything we want basically, and that if we work hard we are most likely to achieve it. I am so grateful I live in America, this promised land. I am glad that we are different.