What a statue in Greece taught me about America

By: Doug James

Outlets: Daily Montanan

Published: July 11, 2026

Words: 781

Last Updated: 1 week, 4 days ago

I thought I knew our place in the world.

Then, we traveled through the Mediterranean from Barcelona to Istanbul.

What I learned: I have so much more to learn.

In Athens, a young man pulled me towards a statue.

I stared.

It looked like President Harry Truman. It was. In Athens, Greece. The birthplace of democracy.

I have lived in America my entire life. I have been to the Truman Presidential Library. There is a …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.