Land of Opportunity

Dusk in Central Park. A strong cup of coffee and a slab of cheesecake at my elbow, I sit mesmerized by the statue of Columbus carved by Italian sculptor Gaetano Russo sitting atop a 70-foot granite column in the center of Columbus Circle. The whole thing was paid for in 1892 with contributions by New York's Italian immigrants. Those Italians sure loved the USA.

Earlier that day I'd watched a steady stream of tourists eagerly posing for photos with a man dressed up in a Statue of Liberty regalia. The vast majority were from foreign countries; places like Thailand, and Africa. As the statue-man draped an American flag over their shoulders and handed them Liberty's Torch to hold, their faces lit up like kids on Christmas morning. It was clear these people felt America was really something special, a place where anything is possible. I think maybe they're right.