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Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html

Saturday, July 2, 2022

Husband Pieter's 1994, 4th of July Speech

 About time for sharing this special speech by husband Pieter, delivered on the 4th of July at the Dublin stadion before fireworks.
If watching video click on CC Closed Caption!
Pieter has written several speeches in his life time and he spoke at The International Society for Mushroom Science (ISMS) Congress numerous times. 
Always in a foreign language though...
~
The 4th of July 1994

Thanks for the kind introduction; now you know almost all about the two of us. 
For the introduction of a speaker a typical question always is, what is exactly your title?
In a certain booklet we found that there is actually no prouder title than to be an American Citizen. 
Although the weather is not cooperating too well, today we have something really important to celebrate as you all know we celebrate Uncle Sam's 218th Birthday, the birth of this great nation.
In the introduction, you have heard that we are new Americans, although we came to this country already in 1983.
My wife's love–affair with the United States started in April of 1983; her very first visit to the New World.
Some Campbell Soup people taught her at that time some history by visiting Rockford (Grand Rapids), Michigan, where President Ford grew up. They thought maybe she was homesick and thus they brought her to Holland in Michigan. 
She was not homesick but just absorbing all she could about this fascinating New World. 
One of the highlights was the visit to Chestnut Street in Philadelphia; to the Independence Hall—the home of the Liberty Bell, a shrine of Patriotism for all Americans.
There we learned more about Life with a capital 'L' and also about Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. 
The next day we flew to Dublin, Georgia and there we fell deeper and deeper in love with the New World. 
So, in August of 1983, we came to live here.
This was Our Pursuit of Happiness.
Last year we got our American Citizenship and since then we can say: we are Dutch by birth and Americans by choice, and we are proud of both. 
There are a couple of reasons for that pride. Maybe you didn't know, but the Dutch, of any nation, have the longest uninterrupted friendly relationship with the U.S. and for sure we like to keep it that way.
It was on November 16 in 1776, that the Fort on the Dutch Island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean returned the salute from the American warship Andrea Dorea, as it entered the harbor. 
 This was the first salute by a foreign power to the flag of the United States of America. 
As the history books say: this was a very courageous action by the Dutch, and it enhanced the diplomatic credibility of the United States of America. 
It also gave a strong boost to the moral of the revolutionary troops.
So, today it is 218 years ago that the U.S. has been founded.
In the Dutch tradition, Birthdays always are important events, often celebrated with an all–day open house, birthday gifts etc.
A good question, not only for us but for all immigrants could be: 'Why did you come to the U.S.?
What did we expect to find here what we eventually didn't have in the country where we lived before? 
Although a lot of things have changed since then, the answer will be more or less identical to what brought the founding fathers to this of the world over 200 years ago.
The most important reason for them was the freedom and the space to live in the broadest sense.
The freedom to believe in God in different ways; the freedom to have your own opinion, the opportunity to develop yourself up to the limits etc. 
On this Birthday we should never forget that the Founding Fathers, and after them numerous immigrants, have for sure not chosen the easiest way. They didn't find a paradise; they just found a place with almost unlimited opportunities, but they had to be explored. 
Very important also is that their Freedom was based on a STRONG MORAL AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
That, in combination with hard work, made this country into what it is today; in our opinion the best country to live in.
We have a number of good reasons to make this statement.
As you perhaps know, or picked up from the introduction, for our job we traveled and still do, all over the world and lived in several countries.
We lived in Dublin, Georgia from 1983 through 1988 and after that in Italy and Indonesia.
We more and more discovered what a great country the U.S. is to live in; we got homesick and looked for every opportunity to return.
With O'Henry we can say, "You can't appreciate home 'till yu've left it... or old glory 'till you see it hanging on a broomstick on the shanty of a consul in a foreign town."
We think Americans in general don't realize how blessed they are, too many things we just take for granted. 
Especially the younger generation should realize that it hasn't been always this good, just travel the world and find out how spoiled in fact we are.
As the Founding Fathers long time ago, we've found our real happiness in this country. 
We often have to answer the question why we've chosen to live in America. 
We think we are able to give a reasonable answer because we can compare.
Our standard answer to that question is: The U.S. is for sure not paradise and not the ideal society because it is built up by some 250 million human beings. But traveling over the world, we can assure you that you will have a hard time to find a better place to live. Therefore, we have good reasons to be thankful and to celebrate the Birthday of this great nation. 
Like in the Dutch tradition, we should not come to a Birthday party with empty hands; one has to carry a gift.
What kind of a gift could we come up with for the Birthday of our country?
The most appropriate gift in our opinion would be that we promise to contribute our share in what the Founding Fathers once started.
They worked hard to develop this country, made it prosperous and a better place to live for everybody. They installed and maintained high moral values, based on a strong believe in God.
They've shown the world that they could handle their freedom.
Our forefathers didn't contribute frivolous gifts to this country.
So, let's celebrate this Birthday of our nation not only with a spectacular firework but let us wrap up a big box for Uncle Sam, containing:
A huge amount of humility, a lot of tolerance, respect for each other and patience, the most of integrity and compassion and a strong will to share freely with others.
Thank you Founding Fathers!
Happy Birthday Uncle Sam, we love this country.
May God bless this nation and all of us.

~

Happy 247th Independence Day!

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Related links:
{December 30, 1993 U.S. flag flown over U.S. Capitol for both of us!} | previous post by me 
{The Dutch 1st to Salute to the Flag of The United States in 1776} | previous post by me
{4th of July Speech given by my husband Pieter} | previous post by me

26 comments:

  1. Thank you Pieter and Mariette. Happy 4th of July celebrations. God bless you always.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Victor,
      Thank you and it will always remain a special day for our nation!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  2. Mooi momenten om te herbeleven.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lieve Ellie,
      Jazeker en ben blij dat ik nu alles digitaal heb zodat Pieter het nog eens rustig kan herbeleven!
      Liefs,
      Pieter en Mariette

      Delete
  3. Complimenti Pieter per il discorso!olga

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cara Olga,
      Grazie e Pieter ha tenuto molti discorsi professionalmente.
      Abbracci,
      Mariette

      Delete
  4. Absolutely inspiring!!! Happy Birthday, USA!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Martha Jane,
      Thank you and it still is valid for today.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  5. What an impressive and heartfelt speech. Peter

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Peter,
      Thank you and Happy 4th of July to you and yours.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  6. What an impressive and heartfelt speech Pieter made. And I learned more about you both. Happy 4th of July to you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Reader,
      Thank you and glad that you liked it and got to know us a little better.
      Hugs and Happy 4th of July!
      Pieter and Mariette

      Delete
  7. Happy 4th of July!

    Pieter's speech was most inspiring.

    Hugs and blessings, my dear friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Veronica,
      Thank you very much and it remains the same even for today.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  8. That was a beautiful speech. Thanks so much for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Debby,
      Thank you and when I had this ready, it was not the appropriate time for posting it; so I waited till now. Still valuable after all those years.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  9. A very good speech!!!! Happy 4th of July to both of you!!!!
    Hugs,'
    Marie-Anne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Marie Anne,
      Thank you and I'm happy for having shared this.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  10. Happy Fourth of July from a native of the original Dublin in Ireland!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Father Seán,
      Thank you very much and we know the Irish Dublin, with fondest memories.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  11. Happy 4th of July! Thanks for Sharing such a wonderful speech!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Reader,
      Thank you so much and it was our pleasure for sharing this with my readers.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  12. Thank you for sharing. Hats off to Pieter. I felt his speech from the heart. Inspiring. Hugs, Betsy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Betsy,
      Thank you and Pieter always has been an excellent speaker.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  13. Excellent text. It is important to live where a person feels good. Well received and where it is possible to develop projects and contact people who have the same objective and philosophy of life. I really enjoyed Pieter's speech. Very fluent.
    xoxo
    Coisas de Feltro

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Christina,
      Thank you and Pieter always has been able to compose his thoughts well and being an excellent teacher and frequent speaker at conferences and congresses made him deliver this one very well.
      We both love living here, even if we miss our friends and some family.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...

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