I love England because I was born, raised and spent the first 30 years of my life there. My childhood years were spent during World War II, and my brother and I would sing derogatory songs about Hitler and company.
I remember how proud we were to be British and how the British in general were united in supporting Winston Churchill. We knew without any doubt that the British and our Allies would be victorious.
The country seemed to change at the end of the war. Winston Churchill and the Conservatives were tossed out of power, and labor unions supported Clement Atlee and his Labor Party.
I was a witness to the insidious effects of socialism. Labor unions brought the government to it's knees in long, bitter strikes by the coal miners. I witnessed the nationalization of the coal industry, the railways, transportation and, of course, the health services.
A sideline on health services: I have a brother still living in England who has been waiting two years for cataract surgery.
Times were so tough in England back in 1967 that many professionals and skilled workers left in droves. We called it "The Great Brain Drain." Many went to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Hong Kong.
I came to this country with my wife and two small children looking for a better life, and I found it. I arrived with $200 in my pocket and no job. I pounded the streets for four weeks until I finally found work. I worked off my first month's rent by fixing up a property to live in.
Eventually, I saved up enough money because of the opportunities provided here, bought some property in Kaysville and, with the help of my 16-year-old son, built a home. I read books on construction and built the home in 15 months.
My point is, I would never have been permitted to do this in England because there were too many rules, regulations and, most of all, labor unions. This country is a land of opportunity, limited only by how much we choose to work.
I visit my family over there regularly, where I see young men and women graduating from school with no hope at all of ever obtaining a paying job.
As an engineer, I have traveled worldwide and met British expatriates working in Hong Kong, China, Italy and many other countries because of the lack of work opportunities in England.
I love England, but I could never live there again. The reason for my comments is that I see the same movie running here in the United States. Under President Barack Obama's administration we are heading in the same direction at breakneck speed.
Alan Carabine worked for Eimco Corp. for 32 yeas and is a retired resident of Kaysville.