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 Dodgers 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.
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 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 YORKERS
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 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"

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Email: marmac34@webtv.net