I AM A NEW YORKER

Submitted by ub on

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 (Giants or Dodgers)

Jones Beach, Rye Beach, Rockaway 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 lookup

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 hea258h" 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

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 Americans

 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 are 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 city 

 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 
 

REMEMBER THE WTC

By: Vincent Pasquale, Maspeth, NY
 

Thanks for allowing us to share this with New Yorkers all around the world.