Voices of Patriotism: Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig, 34,  moved to Sarasota three-and-a-half years ago from northern Illinois to own and operate the Culver’s on South Tamiami Trail. Being a business owner, she said she sees the opportunity this country offers. As a mom, she’s watched her daughter learn and ask questions about what it means to be patriotic.
 

Interviewed by Katie Johns

“I think it's [being American] a sense of pride. We have a lot of pride for the freedoms that we have in our country that not everyone does. I think that were lucky and in a lot of respects don't always realize it.”

“I think that [as a business owner] you see the opportunities maybe a little bit differently. I think you have responsibility now to your community, to support the people in the community that support you and you’re an employer, so you're providing jobs to people in your community, too. And I think there's maybe a sense of family and a sense of just care-taking where we want to take care of our team members so they are happy here and take care of our guests and then also be able to take care of our community.”

“I think being American is just being born here, so now you are. I think what you do for your life to honor that or honor the people who have made that possible for you would be maybe how you’re patriotic.”

“...I had a really good friend who passed away, who was I think 22, and went into the service and they named a street after him in our hometown, so I think when it hits so close to home, like ‘hey, I walked home with him every day for like three years.’ I think you have more of a sense of indebtedness or gratefulness just to our service members.”

“I know that every country has different laws, but there’s plenty of countries where women don’t have many of the rights we do, especially to own a business and own property, and [there’s] definitely a lot of opportunity here, and I don’t know if the American dream quote transfers to being patriotic, but I think it’s evolved. You hear stories sometimes of people [who say] ‘I came to this country or got a work visa because I wanted to be an American, to have those same freedoms, so I think that those are some rights that we sometimes take for granted, and that others are so excited to just be in our country.”

“I think (the American Dream) means different things to different people. I think before it was a nice job, nice car. And, now I think that sometimes just being here with any job is better…”

“I know that the last couple years, kneeling during the National Anthem has been kind of a big deal, and she [Craig’s daughter] asks about that and her questions are ‘does that mean that they don’t respect our country?’ and my answer is ‘I don’t think that, but I think that the point they’re making, they’re doing the wrong way,’ so that’s my personal opinion, so I think she’s learning to understand what that [being patriotic] means.

“I think down here [the South], there’s more awareness [about patriotism]. I don’t know if there are more veterans in our community or if that’s because they’re retirees or where we live, but I do think there is more of a focus on that here.”

“I think when you grow up, you have moments you remember, and I remember being in my AP European History class [when 9/11 happened] and watching the coverage on TV, and then I think from there, more people signed up to be in the Army, so, I think that you learn [what patriotism is], when you watch the news, and these soldiers that passed away or you know someone you went to high school with….”