A True American Issues - Essay Example

His tale is a courageous tale of harrowing bravery, yet he does not brag about its significance or dwell on its details. Kim is more comfortable talking about the pride he has in being an American. As a young boy, he and his family eluded their political enemies and endured a three-month ordeal of danger, distress, and anguish.

At the end of the Vietnam War, Kim was a tender-aged boy whose father had worked at an American air base. When the North Vietnamese assumed control of the area where they lived, they were forced to evacuate in the dead of a rainy night. Kim tells of the harrowing escape down a 30-foot rope ladder hung over a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He, his family, and twenty-two other Vietnamese scaled that rock wall and set sail on a small ocean craft. At the time Kim did not have any idea where the destination was to be. The overloaded boat was battered for five days by high seas and intense storms before finally arriving safely in Hong Kong.

Kim felt a sense of relief when they arrived at the port of Hong Kong. He remembers the feast that his family finally had after five days at sea with only scraps of food to keep them alive. They were placed in a temporary camp with only a minimum of facilities while they waited for the necessary paperwork and for an American family to accept them. Kim spent the long days making macramé jewelry out of scraps of string and trading it for candy with the local people. As the days turned into weeks, the weeks became months and Kim thought he would be in Hong Kong forever.

Kim's family's prayers were answered when they were placed with an American family in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Kim was frightened as he boarded his first airline flight with no luggage and only the clothes on his back. He was self-conscious of the wealthy tourists that traveled with him and believed that everyone was staring at him and his family. Yet, he would soon be even more embarrassed by the people that laughed at him as he landed in the freezing temperatures of an Indiana winter with no coat or appropriate clothing. With all that Kim had been through, this was just one more small inconvenience.

Today, Kim is a successful businessman and a true American patriot. No American I know has a greater respect and love of their country than Kim. He is the first in line to honor our fallen heroes, treasure our national monuments, and learn about our rich history. Yet, he seldom talks about the risk and sacrifices his family made to arrive on our shores, learn our language, and become a citizen. However, if you listen closely you can get a glimpse of the price he paid when he expresses the pride he has in the value of his American ideals.