Always lead with your mistakes.
I was given this amazing piece of advice, when I started to speak out publicly on politics because you must always have creditability in life. It made total sense to me as it also fits perfectly with the way I was raised – when you are wrong, be man enough to apologize. These are two principles I try live my life by.
I have been given the honor and privilege to share a message of American Exceptionalism on many platforms. I will never under-estimate how truly blessed I am that so many listen or read what a crazy Irish man has to share on your history and the revolutionary idea of America. However earlier this year I suddenly stopped speaking out and writing columns, because my world came crashing down around me and I wanted to give up. Let me briefly explain.
My Dream
If you have ever seen any of my work, you may know I am an Irishman and had been trying to find a way to legally live in America for over 13 years. I only ever had one dream in life – to be able to say I was an American and seek ways to serve the nation and idea that changed the world.
While others go because they are a student, a famous person, because they have immediate relatives (parents, kids etc.) or illegally, my only option was to work hard in the hope one day an employer would see me and my story and be impressed enough to offer me a job and sponsorship for a visa.
Earlier this year I thought my wait had ended and all my dreams were going to come thru. Not only was I moving to America but I was moving to Texas (my favourite state) and also secured my dream job. To say I was elated would be the under-statement of the century.
As we gathered all the necessary paperwork and provided our lawyers with all my info like education, work experience, family background etc., we were assessing which was the best visa option to apply for. I was due to have a conference call with our lawyers and plan the best way forward and in my mind receive a timeline of when exactly I would arrive stateside and start working. This was going to be a call I would never forget – sadly for all the wrong reasons.
My Dream Is Dead
Our lawyers went thru everything with us and long story short we found out I did not meet the educational or work experience requirements to even apply for a visa (America did not refuse me). My world came crashing down. I was devastated and lost. I believe now the pain was made worse because I never saw it coming – imagine going on a phone call expecting exciting news and timelines, and instead get that shattering news.
Some got angry on behalf and tried to get me angry, but that is not who I am. I simply lost my voice, my passion and walked away. Yes I QUIT!
As the days and weeks passed I searched for what to do with my life now. What meaning could I add to this crazy world? Whom and what could I serve?
After much reflection, I found my answer. The honest truth is I have ZERO rights to be an American. It was always a dream, but NEVER A RIGHT. Does that suck for someone like me? Yes it does because America is the only place I have ever felt like I belonged.
I will admit it also sucks watching ALL your politicians, your media and your culture promote those who broke the laws, those who benefitted from the law being broken and how you call them dreamers. Yet there are 5+ million people like who seek to do the right thing and we are NEVER mentioned by anyone. We don’t have politicians representing us, never have marches in street demanding fair treatment, we are never invited to sit beside the First Lady during the state of the Union and no one ever highlights our plight on the media.
I don’t want any of those, because again those who are not Americans HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE ONE!!!
Life can really suck at times, but while the situations change from person to person, we all deal with issues that we would not have to.
In life we all have responsibilities and those responsibilities never go away regardless of the personal situation we find ourselves in. My hurt and pain does not negate my responsibilities to do what is morally right.
So with all that being said, I want to humbly apologize to each of you for walking away and giving up. I want to apologize to every platform that shares my work for just quitting and negating my responsibilities to you.
The Future
I have been blessed with the opportunity to start writing again and also to re-launch my weekly show called Freedoms Disciple (which is available for FREE on Soundcloud, ITunes, Google Play and Stitcher).
If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I would ask you to consider joining me on a journey that very few will talk about today. I want to the foundation of everything I do to be based on three key topics:
- Explain why America is an exceptional idea
- Highlight eternal principles
- Search for self-evident truths.
If this foundation is important to you, please join me as I seek to repay your wonderful nation by learning from your amazing history and focusing on what America can and must be.
I still believe your best days are ahead of you. I believe this because of YOUR history. I believe this because every generation of Americans have had some major obstacle to overcome and YOUR PEOPLE always overcome them. I believe the future is bright as long as American’s remember the secret to America and it is a secret that Alexis DeTocqueville spoke of many years ago:
AMERICA IS GREAT, BECAUSE AMERICANS ARE GOOD!!!
This column is based on a recent monologue from my show which you can listen to in full below of by clicking on the links: SoundCloud, ITunes, Google Play or Stitcher.