DEAR FOREIGN TOURISTS – AN OPEN LETTER TO THE WORLD FROM AN AMERICAN

Dear tourists,

I understand  that some  of  your  governments  have issued travel  warnings  about coming to the United States ,  because  it’s  too dangerous . 

They want you to  rethink that trip to  San Francisco  or Denver, Colorado . 

Please don’t  listen . 

It’s  not that we need your tourist dollars more than let’s  say, Myanmar  or some other  countries do, but we actually  do.

Some cities in the United States  aren’t  doing that great tourist  wise.

They’d  like you to visit them too.

They want you to spend money in Hershey ,  Pennsylvania ,  just like you spend it in Belfast or Bejing.

You’ve  been told about the floods ,  hurricanes , and other sorts of wild weather that we have here.

Sorry, I know  that  some of you go to Thailand  and Bali a lot.

They don’t  have wild weather, too?

Just asking.

In spite of  what your newspapers  back in Amsterdam ,  Saudi Arabia ,  and Sydney  have led you to believe ,  there’s  more to  United States  than New York  City ,  Miami ,  or Los Angeles . 

In spite of what you’ve  heard or seen on your screens back home or what some of your governments  want you to see, Americans are really  very friendly . 

Please don’t  judge us by our politicians . 

We are NOTHING  like that.

We really  want to know  all about you and the country  you come from.

Please don’t  be afraid  of  us because  some of us seem to have this fascination  with guns and something  called “The Second  Amendment . ”

Many of  us  DON’T  have a fascination  with  guns and we’re  troubled  by  our fellow Americans  who do.

We like  to  have a good old time in Jackson  Hole ,  Wyoming  and Branson ,  Missouri ,  just like you do in Munich and Lisbon . 

I’m  sorry  that  it takes so long to go through  some of  our airports  because  of  the  type of passport  you happen  to  be  holding . 

Please don’t  hold that against  the  average  American  or that United  States  customs agent who’s  just doing his or her job.

Get to really  know us.

Have some Tex-Mex  food  in  San  Antonio ,  Texas, or some beer and bratwurst  in Milwaukee ,  Wisconsin . 

See how our dairy farmers go about their business  providing food for us on the farms of Nebraska ,  Iowa or Kansas.

Have a pizza in places you wouldn’t  even consider ,  like Detroit ,  Baltimore ,  or San Diego . 

Have a cheesesteak sandwich  in Philadelphia ,  a lobster roll in Maine ,  a po’boy or a Muffaletta sandwich  in New Orleans ,  or try a “grinder” in Providence ,  Rhode  Island . 

By all means, if you must ,  visit ”  The  City That Never Sleeps  ” ,  because  you know you want to . 

In spite of what recently  happened, please visit Las Vegas . 

Visit it because  there’s  no place like it and everyone  should  visit Vegas at least  once in their  lives . 

Visit  Washington  DC  and Gettysburg ,  Pennsylvania  just so you can understand  why we Americans  are the way we are.

While  you’re  at  it ,  visit Lexington ,  Massachusetts  and Valley  Forge, Pennsylvania  so that you can fully grasp what the United States  is all about . 

You’ve  been told by friends and relatives  how expensive some of our states are.

They are,but there are 50 states in the country ,  don’t  neglect those states that you don’t  know that much about like Delaware ,  Oregon ,  South and North  Dakota, Idaho and West Virginia . 

While  you’re  at  it ,  if you really  want to  get to  know  Americans, take yourself  to a sporting  event, whether it  be  baseball ,  basketball  or American  Football . 

You don’t  have to  understand  the  sport, just observe . 

Whatever you  do ,  though, please don’t  discuss  politics or religion  with us.

You might  not like what you  hear.

As you decide  where your next vacation  is going  to  be ,  Mister or Mrs. Foreign Tourist, please consider  coming  to  the  United States . 

We aren’t  as bad as you’ve  been told that  we are.

You might even get to  like some of  us.
Sincerely , 

An American  who would like  you to visit

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