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ROB MCCLENDON: WELL IF THERE IS ONE CONSTANT IN THIS COUNTRY IT'S CHANGE,
FROM WHO WE ARE TO WHAT WE DO, EVEN WHERE WE LIVE.
WE'RE A RED, WHITE AND BLUE SALAD OF TRADITIONS AND CONTRADICTIONS.
YET WE'RE ALL TRULY AMERICAN.
WITH MORE HERE IS FRANK SESNO TO FACE THE FACTS.
FRANK SESNO: LIFE IN AMERICA, IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING THESE DAYS,
DIVERSE, IN FLUX, ALWAYS ON THE MOVE.
IT'S PART OF OUR HISTORY, OUR STRENGTH REALLY, BUT IT'S ALSO A SOURCE OF OUR
CONTRADICTIONS.
AMERICA IS CHANGING, MORE URBAN, MORE INCLUSIVE, MORE DIVERSE, MORE YOUNG
PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RACES LIVING ALONGSIDE MORE SENIORS.
MORE THAN HALF OF ALL BABIES BORN IN THE U S LAST YEAR WERE HISPANIC,
AFRICAN AMERICAN, ASIAN, OR FROM OTHER MINORITY GROUPS.
MORE BABIES WERE BORN TO SINGLE MOMS; MORE KIDS RAISED IN SINGLE-PARENT
HOMES.
MEANWHILE, MORE SENIORS ARE OUT THERE, HARD TO CALL THEM BABY BOOMERS
ANYMORE WHEN THEY'RE RETIRING BY THE MILLIONS.
WE ARE A NATION OF CONTRADICTIONS; A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS THAT ARGUES
ABOUT IMMIGRATION; A NATION OF HEALTH AND FITNESS JUNKIES STRUGGLING
WITH CHRONIC OBESITY; A NATION GOING GREEN THAT WASTES VAST AMOUNTS OF
FOOD AND FUEL; A SECULAR NATION WITH SOME OF THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE RATES
AT PLACES OF WORSHIP IN THE WORLD.
AMERICA'S A NATION THAT WAS BUILT ON OPPORTUNITY, ABUNDANCE, MOBILITY,
OPTIMISM; WE'RE ASKING AGAIN WHETHER THERE ARE LIMITS TO THOSE THINGS,
OR, WHAT THE NEXT VERSION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM WILL LOOK LIKE.
SO SINCE CHANGE IS CONSTANT, WE MAY GET SOME SENSE OF WHERE WE'RE GOING
AND WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW IF WE FACE THE FACTS.