July 11, 2018
To whom it may concern,
I am a 22 year old young American who recently graduated college with a degree in finance from the California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo. Let it be said that I take extreme pride in our country and what the United States stands for. Not only are we world leaders in every industry, we are the world leader in entrepreneurship. We did not get to where we are now by simply letting others pass us by. We did not become a superpower by fearing innovation and new frontiers. We did not sit idly by while others changed the world.
A quick anecdote:
In the summer before my senior year, I discovered Bitcoin and "the blockchain." From the moment I grasped the concept of an immutable distributed ledger, I knew the world would change for the better. When I went back to school I asked my finance professors what they knew and I was shocked by their replies. I heard an echo chamber of "its for criminals and druggies." They knew nothing. They did not know about the world-changing technology which Bitcoin represented. Not only did MY professors not know, many professors, students, and executives whom I subsequently interacted with thought similarly.
You have the power to show them the light. I beg you to work hard to understand what Bitcoin is and why the United States needs to embrace change, not fight it. By approving this ETF, you legitimize something world-changing which has historically been demonized. You have the power to aid the United States in once again becoming world-leaders.
We have not, and should not take the back seat concerning cryptocurrencies. The first step towards innovation is knowledge. Learn why it is important for this space to be properly regulated. Many investors see potential, yet need a tried-and-true way of investing: an ETF.
"Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country." -John F. Kennedy
Let America lead.
Thankfully and Respectfully,
Nathan E. Thomas