Tribute to the United States of America
July 1st 2009 11:20
"We don’t always get it all right; there’s no place else I would rather build my life. Cause it’s a Kid with a Chance, it’s a Rock and Roll band it’s a Farmer cutting hay. It’s a Big Flag flying in the Summer wind over a Fallen Heroes Grave."
~Rodney Atkins “It’s America”
~Rodney Atkins “It’s America”
The time of year has come to celebrate the birth of one of the greatest nations the world has ever scene.
A nation built on the tenants of Democracy, Freedom and Equality for all her people beyond differences in national origin, religion, race and sexual orientation.
A nation that will be commemorating 233 years of all these things on Saturday July 4, 2009 must not forget that it wasn’t a pen and paper that made things possible but rather this documents ability to evolve along side the hearts and minds of each and every American it represents.
While it’s easy to have coffee shop conversations about the hypocrisy of a nation to scream about freedom from foreign tyranny and taxation without representation on one hand while enslaving a section of society on the other; it is also just as important to marvel at the fact that these things were corrected through a structured process without racial warfare or a permanent split in society.
What we have in this nation is a homogony of every nationality, race, religion and belief all rolled into a beautiful mold that is uniquely American.
There is no other nation in the world that can pride itself on the amount of inclusion that exists between it's people from distinctly different backgrounds.
It is our love for this nation that brings us together and gives us the courage to fight for people we have never met in the name of Democracy and Freedom.
Love, compassion and a sense kinship flows through the veins of each and every American as we all have the unique understanding that we have something special.
Something special that gives every American child the same opportunities no matter the social situation or socio economic opportunities they were born into.
Something special that gives every American a sense of belonging in the understanding that a 232 year old document is hanging somewhere that gives each and every citizen entitlement to the same rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Something special to have the unique understanding that our system has stood the test of time through misinterpretation and social agendas.
Beyond the hotdogs, hamburgers, barbeques and the beautiful sight of children playing this day always brings a tear to my eye in remembrance of all the men and women from every race, religion and creed who gave everything within themselves for us to enjoy it.
It’s easy to get lost in the beauty of a fireworks display and forget about these modern day super heroes who have laid it all on the line for the country they love.
In my mind there are no just or unjust wars when it comes to honoring those who serve and it is important for each and every American to have the understanding of the sacrifice these men and women gave for the cause of protecting our freedom.
From the American Revolution on down to Operation Iraqi Freedom and the current military operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan these men and women deserve to be honored on this day of our Nations Independence.
Freedom has never been about a single race of people or a certain gender fighting for a country to call their own.
From the first shots of the American Revolution it has always been a struggle that has crossed racial and gender lines.
Women of every race took arms against the British Empire just as one of the first victims in the Boston Massacre was a freed slave by the name of Crispus Attucks.
Let’s spend the day remembering these things and not participating in tongue and cheek conversations of a history built on racial and gender tensions.
We can never forget the struggle of minorities but we also have to take a step back and enjoy the gift of change and evolution that our country has given to each and every one of us.
Our unity and freedom for all men and women has always been there but it took time, growth and understanding for these achievements to shine through the haze of popular opinion and mob rule based on ignorance.
We are finally in the place where all men and women can be judged for the content of their character and not the color of their skin and it is a beautiful sight to behold.
In this “change” year it has to take something more than a political election and broken glass ceilings for us to say these things.
It is going to have to be a process of opening our eyes and putting our pitch forks on the ground for one night of celebration.
Celebration when looking at all of the dark places this country has been and standing in awe at the beautiful society of color, ideas and various beliefs that has been created from our compassion, generosity and spirit of America.
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