itstarp

I recently spent two weeks in Japan, and I have to say, the trip really opened my eyes to just how much better we could be doing here in America. I’m not exaggerating. Some of the differences were shocking. Here are a few things I noticed: - In two weeks traveling through some of the most densely populated cities in the world, I saw TWO visibly homeless people. TWO! I saw just ONE person who appeared to be struggling with drug addiction. - The high-speed rail system was incredible. Clean, affordable, fast, and efficient. Meanwhile, Americans are still arguing about whether high-speed rail is even worth building. - I never once felt unsafe walking around with my kids, even in massive cities surrounded by thousands of people. - There were barely any public trash cans, yet somehow the streets were almost spotless. - The difference in income inequality was noticeable. The infrastructure, housing, and public services reflected a society that seems to take much more pride in making everyday life work for everyone. Now, I already know what some people on the right are going to say. “Japan doesn’t have mass immigration!” “Japan isn’t run by Democrats!” OK, but can we stop turning EVERYTHING into a partisan argument for five minutes? Japan isn’t perfect. It has its own serious problems, and I’m not pretending two weeks makes me an expert on the country. But what I saw made one thing painfully obvious to me. We have normalized so many problems in America that we’ve convinced ourselves they’re simply unavoidable. Homelessness. Dirty streets. Failing infrastructure. Terrible public transportation. People feeling unsafe in their own communities. Why? We are one of the wealthiest nations in human history. We have the money. We have the technology. We have the talent. What we seem to lack is the willingness to stop making excuses and demand better. I’m proud to be an American. But being proud of your country shouldn’t mean pretending other countries haven’t figured out how to do certain things better. Patriotism isn’t ignoring America’s problems. It’s wanting America to be better. And after spending two weeks in Japan, I’m more convinced than ever that we can do a whole lot better.