One thing we’ve had plenty of lately is time to think. Would you invite friends to come live in Alabama? What would you tell them about our state? 

Of course, we are justly proud of our endless beautiful riverways and lakes, with fishing, boating and water sports aplenty. Inside Limestone and Morgan counties, we have the magnificent Wheeler Wildlife Preserve. Our Appalachian Mountains melt seamlessly into a southern coastline of white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.

Is this enough to bring someone here to live? Is this enough to overcome an outsider’s view of our state? Or would they fear the school system, the health care or the employment prospects for their children?

Are these fears justified? Consider for a moment. There are organizations that exist to show Alabama is not a creature of the past, dwelling only to preserve Confederate statues or “moonlight and magnolia” legacies. No, we are so much more. We can be the future, because it is already here.

We are Mercedes Benz. We are Toyota-Mazda. We are Indonesian petroleum products and a host of medical research centers and hospitals. These giant companies and more have brought family-drawing jobs to Alabama. 

The workforce at these plants can go home on a salary that allows a family to live without a second job. Think about that. This arrangement has brought people from all over the world to our state. 

Our research park in Madison is top-notch in the aerospace industry. It has made families stronger, because the job market is stronger. Smart people don’t exploit their workers; they make life more meaningful for them, because well-paid workers with benefits can buy the products they make — and all the other things that make life interesting, too. With better paid jobs, we can create a social network to watch out for those who need help to get through rough patches. Many in our state are working to make it right for all of us, not only the wealthy few.

Then there is the federal government. It has brought literally thousands of jobs, millions of dollars and new ideas by the score to us through the space program and Redstone Arsenal. The standard of living around Huntsville is one of the envies of the United States. Now we can see how the future might look for our whole state. For every dollar the government brings in to Alabama, more jobs bloom to support those projects. A tasty restaurant menu might exist only because there are well-paid workers who frequent its offerings.

A nonprofit called Global Ties>Alabama implements four U.S. State Department exchange programs. They bring foreign delegations to Alabama. These professional visitors are taken to Alabama businesses, educational centers, chambers of commerce, medical institutions, government facilities and cultural attractions. Not afraid to admit we can improve, we show museums and institutions that acknowledge where we can improve. Everything about our state is on the table to see, evaluate, learn from and enjoy. The foreign delegations who come here are the top of their game. They come to explore Hudson Alpha Research, be briefed by NASA, visit our Birmingham Medical Complex and every other futuristic step our state has taken. 

Our robotics center in Limestone County draws attention from around the world. Our guests come to learn from us and offer their collegiality in return. Joint efforts have come from meetings such as this, organized by Alabamians and foreign guests who see we can work together, fearing neither race, belief nor country of origin. 

We need only be open to others. Maybe you will be the only American a foreigner ever meets. What will they remember about Alabama after meeting you, hearing your company’s presentation or visiting your home? If you would like to discover how to help Alabama, consider checking into Global Ties>Alabama online.

 

— John William Davis is a retired U.S. Army counterintelligence officer, civil servant and linguist. He was commissioned from Washington University in St. Louis in 1975. He entered counterintelligence and served some 37 years. His published works include “Rainy Street Stories: Reflections on Secret Wars, Terrorism and Espionage” and “Around the Corner: Reflections on American Wars, Violence, Terrorism and Hope.”