Lady Liberty’s lamp has turned into a traffic signal

Last year, for the first time in 72 years, I visited the Statue of Liberty, a gift from America’s first allies, the French people.

I always thought it was a bit hokey, and there are so many more interesting things to do in NYC. But I was absolutely blown away, not so much by Lady Liberty herself, but by all the powerful things she symbolizes.

Then we went on to Ellis Island to learn about all the detentions and hoops immigrants had to jump through to be admitted, even in those days. It was much easier to sort the wheat from the chaff according to the guidelines then.

“Give me your tired, your poor,” but especially give me your good, your honest, your hard-working, your healthy.

And, in those days, if you were a woman, even a woman with children, you had to be met by your husband or brother to move on, but not a one of those women was found to be wearing a suicide vest.

Lady Liberty still holds her lamp above the “open door.” Sadly, today, that lamp has, of necessity, turned into a traffic signal.