I AM A NEW YORKER
by Jeanette M. Green
I am a New Yorker
I do not live in the five boroughs or on the Island or Upstate
I may live hundreds or thousands of miles away
Or I may live just over the GW Bridge
But I am a New Yorker
I am a New Yorker
Whatever took me out of New York:
Business, family or hating the cold
did not take New York out of me.
My accent may have faded and my pace may have slowed
But I am a New Yorker
I am a New Yorker
I was raised on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rockefeller Plaza,
The Yankees or the Mets
Jones Beach or Rye Beach or one of the beaches on the sound
I know that "THE END" means Montauk.
Because I am a New Yorker
I am a New Yorker
When I go on vacation, I never look up
Skyscrapers are something I take for granted
The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are part of me
Taxis and noise and subways and "get outa heah" don't rattle me
Because I am a New Yorker
I am a New Yorker
I was raised on cultural diversity before it was politically correct
I eat Greek food and Italian food, Jewish and Middle Eastern food and
Chinese food. Because they are all American food to me.
I don't get mad when people speak other languages in my presence
Because my relatives got to this country via Ellis Island and chose to
stay.
They were New Yorkers
I am a New Yorker
People who have never been to New York have misunderstood me
My friends and family work in the industries, professions and businesses
that benefit all Americansl
My firefighters died trying to save New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers
They died trying to save Americans and non-Americans
Because they were New Yorkers.
I am a New Yorker
I feel the pain of my fellow New Yorkers
I mourn the loss of my beautiful city
I feel and dread that New York will never be the same
But then I remember:
I am a New Yorker
And New Yorkers have:
Tenacity, strength and courage way above the norm
Compassion and caring for our fellow citizens
Love and pride in our city, in our state, in our country
Intelligence, experience and education par excellence
Ability, dedication and energy above and beyond
Faith--no matter what religion we practice
Terrorists hit America in
its heart
But America's heart still beats strong
Demolish the steel in our buildings, but it doesn't touch the steel in
our souls
Hit us in the pocketbook; but we'll parlay what we have left into a
fortune
End innocent lives leaving widows and orphans, but we'll take care of
them
Because they are New Yorkers
Wherever we live,
whatever we do, whoever we are
There are New Yorkers in every state and every city of this nation
We will not abandon our brothers and sisters
We will not abandon the beauty, creativity and diversity that New York
represents
Because we are New Yorkers
And we are proud to be New Yorkers