Papa Interview

Being American means a lot to the speaker, who is an immigrant to the United States, and values the opportunity to become a citizen. They are proud to be American but express concern about the current state of freedom in the country. The speaker believes that appreciating and valuing each other is important for living up to the ideals of the founders. They feel most American when honoring those who died defending the country. Watching a presidential debate made them feel the least American due to the display of American identity. The speaker believes that being American means having values, citizenship, and appreciation for others. They emphasize the importance of freedom and feel fortunate to have it compared to people in other countries. The speaker feels unrepresented in America, particularly in the Midwest, but takes responsibility for not being more involved in politics. Being from the Midwest has given them the freedom to be who they want to be and do as they please. They value t Okay, my first question, Papa, is what does being American mean to you? Well, I thought a lot about this, listening to MoMA talk. First of all, you've got somebody pretty unique here, because I am an immigrant to the United States. And so I think it will add a different perspective, possibly, to this interview. It means a terrific amount to me. As a matter of fact, I can even feel the tears of being an American. I had friends, classmates, people I knew that died for America. And so the fact that I had to take a test, swear allegiance, travel to Omaha, to become an American, is something I really value. I don't know what more I can add to that. I am so proud to be an American. I am especially proud to be an American. I'm so happy that we get to live in the land of the free, although I'm not sure anymore how free we are. And so, I guess that's enough said on that question. You're making me tear up, Papa. Well, the real truth is, is I see so many people, meet so many people, and I've become kind of a hermit because of it. I meet so many people that don't even appreciate what they've got, appreciate who they are, befriend people, talk bad about people, denigrate people. You know, we're all the same. We're all human beings. I don't care what color you are, nationality, where you're from, anything. We're all human mankind. And, you know, I've seen such a change in my lifetime of that value that it is terribly, terribly disheartening that we literally have got to be a country of no value. Okay, moving on. Okay, my next question, you've already touched on that a little bit, but maybe you want to go into it a little bit more, is do you like being American, and are you proud to be an American? Well, yes. The answer is definitely yes. And, you know, I like America. I see a lot of changes that could be made, and I'd like us all to just start appreciating each other again and valuing each other so that we truly live up to the ideals of the founders of this country and the people that have given their ultimate sacrifice for this country. And it's just underappreciated of what our forefathers have given us here in this beautiful place. Go ahead, Natalia. Okay, so you've talked about a lot about how you're really proud and thankful to live in this country. So I want you to maybe think about a certain moment where you felt the most American, and then in contrast to that, a moment where you felt the least American. Well, I feel the most American when I go to the heroes, somebody that died defending this country. Somebody that was in a building, that was bombed, hit by airplanes, and died. You've got to be proud of the people that have gone before us to get us in this state that we're in. The founding fathers of this country, the people that died to protect this country, the people that built this country, for what it is, you know, they're kind of underappreciated, pretty easy to be forgotten. And I don't know if that answers the question or not. That does, yeah. What about when you feel the least American? Oh, watching TV the other night, presidential debate, what a terrible display of American identity. I just feel embarrassed that somebody around the world, people with a lot more values than we should have. Anyone got to see that or watch that or hear that. I can hear them laugh again. It's just terrible. I feel bad because I don't even know who they are, you know? You watch a lot of news. Yeah, I do watch a lot of news. Too much, most likely. But I like to be informed, and it seems to be the only way to get informed, for me. Yeah, MoMA talked about that a little bit, too. Yeah. I love MoMA, and you know that, and I love her values. And her attitudes towards people and to thought and to politics and everything. And so, you know, that's why we get along so good, I guess. We never fight about anything like that. We fight about a lot of other things. But, you know, we value each other's opinions, and we do not digress from that, you know? Okay. Next question. Alright. So, I want to know what you believe makes someone American. Oh. Their values, their citizenship, their appreciation of other people. I mean, I've touched on that about six times already. But, you know, American people, and I've been all over the world, thanks to your dad. You know, I see people that aren't American, and they don't have the liberty, the freedom, the right to speak their mind, the right to do what they want to do or believe what they want to believe. And so, when you see people in communist countries and only with autocratic rules, you know, it really makes you appreciate being an American, because not everybody in the world has what we have, no doubt about it. And I think sometimes people aren't even aware of it. Basically, 90% of the population aren't even aware of what the rest of the world looks like. But, you know, having been to China and seeing women slaving away like men, getting paid $6 a day for doing it, having my familiarity with people from Latin America and the hardships they go through just to get here so they can pursue the American dream, you know, it's quite eye-opening. And in my particular case, it is kind of profound that I had that experience of meeting people that come in from these countries, or else I've been to the countries. It really makes you appreciate what we've got. And, like I said, unfortunately, most people don't even realize how good we've got it. But then on the other side of the coin is, you know, most people don't live as good as we live either. You know, I'm looking out on 400 or 500 acres of ground that is about the size of Hong Kong, and there's 8 million people living there, and there's two people living here. A couple of horses, a couple of cows. Yeah, you know, so the perspective is kind of far-ranging, you know. So, you kind of touched on the American dream a little bit, and you're the first person I've interviewed who wasn't born in the U.S. and didn't grow up their whole life in Nebraska. So I want to ask you, do you think you've achieved your own version of the American dream? Oh, yes. Definitely, yes. It's, you know, it has provided me with all kinds of benefits. Benefit of income, benefit of environment, but especially the benefit of having a large family and everybody being free to do what they want to do, and all the benefits that are associated with it. So, I'd say yes. So, my next question is, do you feel represented in America? And that can mean in the media, in politics, in anything. And I'm really curious about your answer here, because you are kind of, well, I think the Midwest is often like a forgotten demographic, and you specifically are a rancher, a farmer, right? Yes. So, do you feel represented? No. No. And you hit the nail on the head. We are terribly unrepresented here in this part of the world. But then again, we kind of like that. We like ourselves being independent and a little bit remote and solidarity with the land and the environment. But no, I don't think I'm represented at all. And, you know, part of that's my own fault. I should be more proactive as far as town boards and school boards and county governments and, you know, and have never been inclined that way. I look at some of the people we have now, particularly the governor of Nebraska, and he's a farmer, and I don't agree with everything he does. I can tell you that. But then again, that's my opinion, and he thinks he's doing a good job. But is he representing me? Well, I don't know if he's representing himself more than he is. So, but to answer your question, I don't think I'm represented. It just doesn't feel like it. But then again, I, more than most likely most people, I value the ability to vote. And because I don't take part in politics and civic activities and stuff, that's my fault. That's not anybody else's fault. And so, you know, no, I'm not represented. I don't feel represented. But then again, it's most likely my own fault that I'm not more vocal or more involved. Okay. So you've, again, talked about this through the whole interview, but I want to know really kind of in depth, how does being from the Midwest play a role in your American experience? Well, my American experience is quite wonderful, of course. You know, you could write a book about it, about going from rags to riches and immigrating to this country. And, you know, the access I have to freedom and the access I have to wonderful family and, you know, it is outstanding, but I don't know. Help me with the question again specifically. I want to answer it specifically. What was the question again? How does being from the Midwest play a role in your American experience? Yeah. So being from here, and this is definitely the Midwest, we are in the middle of nowhere right now. It has given me the freedom to be who I want to be, to do as I want to do, to venture where I want to venture, and to sum it all up, all the questions, the biggest thing is the word freedom. We are free to do as we please pretty much within the law and our own laws as we see fit. Like I said before, I have seen so many people, met so many people that don't have that freedom. And it has got lost on everybody. I say everybody. Of course, that doesn't mean 100% of the population, but a big percentage of the people in this country do not, I emphasize, do not appreciate the freedoms we have. They have come to accept them all and expect to be able to do everything, but they don't realize who has died for this country, who has fought for the freedoms that we have. A little footnote to that, and of course it was in a different country, but my dad spent two years in a prisoner of war ship fighting for the freedom of people, of the human people that were being tortured and gassed and killed. And so the word freedom means an awful lot to me, because I know the suffering that our forefathers went through to get us to this point. And so, pretty big, pretty big deal. Okay, sorry about that. Okay, so that was all the questions I have for you. But I want to ask this first one, because you are the greatest storyteller ever, and everyone needs to experience it. What is one story, your favorite story to tell people? My favorite story is my story about how I ran away from home and walked into this beautiful country and met the most wonderful man, your great-grandpa, who took me in and sent me to school, sent me to college, and then let me marry his daughter. You know, I mean, that story is, we need to write it down and put all the little side issues in it, because it is really unbelievable, you know, that that could all happen. So that's my favorite story. And, of course, I can expound on that for hours. But, you know, there's no better story than that one, I guess. I agree. Yeah, well, you're evidence of it. If I hadn't been here, you wouldn't be. So consider yourself lucky. I do. Yeah, well, you're fortunate. You've got a wonderful dad and a wonderful mom, and you're on your way to success, I can tell you that. Like I told you to start with, I don't know what it's going to be yet, but you're going to be great doing it. Oh, thanks, Bob. I know you are. Okay.