I’m lucky and privileged. Over the past few summers, I have had the opportunity to travel to so many of those countries that claim to have “the happiest people on earth.” All the surveys from these learned magazines and institutions say countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Scotland and Estonia are the places where the citizens just love their country, carry a flag in their pocket and walk around with a perpetual smile on their place.

Well, I’ve been to every single one of those countries and I agree that their citizens love their country, are patriotic and love their fellow neighbors. I agree they are wonderful countries with wonderful people. I also learned something else about every one of these countries………. they each lack any diversity whatsoever. Go to Finland for example and the people that live there were born there. So were their parents, their parent’s parents and so on and so on and so on. They’re basically all related to each other. It’ like they’re all cousins. They all look the same, speak the same language, share the same history and cherish the only country they have ever known.

By the way……… you can forget about becoming a citizen of any of these countries because it ain’t going to happen. You can visit and spend your dollars there but then get out. If you don’t believe me…..look it up.

So here’s the real deal when it comes to the good old USA. We are the most diverse country BY FAR in the entire world. Any one of our communities at one time or another can house residents made up from any country on Earth. And…….we’re the only country that can make that claim.

The average American has never left The United States; has never traveled to another country. Yet, many of these people are “experts” at just how rotten to the core the USA is and just how wonderful all the other countries are.

I have an idea for those people. Before you say another word about how racist and discriminatory our country is, take a trip to any of the countries I visited above. In fact, travel to almost any other country in the world. When you’re there, take a good look around and tell me if you see the diversity that exists at home. Tell me if you see lots of colors, different houses of worship and hear different languages. Then, ask about their immigration policies and see how many immigrants they allow to move in every year. Find out if you yourself would ever be welcome to live there.

Here’s what I promise you will see and hear if you’re not blind and deaf….The United States is the leader, the founder and the very example of diversity at levels of employment and inclusion in the highest offices of government including our Presidency and Justices of our Supreme Court. We are the leader in welcoming all forms of worship; second to none. And when you’re done looking around, make sure to make a reservation to come back because at some point your welcome will be up.

After all I have seen, here’s what I know: any street in any of our communities can resemble a meeting at the U.N. I can’t say the same about some of “the best countries in the world” to live in.