…One Nation, under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All.
-Pledge of Allegiance
…And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
-Declaration of Independence
Don’t know about you, but I have been engaged in and enjoying reading American History the past few months. Learning about how our Nation was built, who built it, how it got started and why, and how we beat terrific odds to just become a separate and free country. The distinguished gentleman from Virginia and his other, genius, brave, creative and determined comrades. The brave common folk, farmers, writers, mercantilists, clergy, even Native Americans (they were called Indians back then!) who fought, worked, and strategized to bring it about.
I believe in the ordination of this country by a Supreme Creator God, but even if you don’t, you have to admit that the land we call USA, inhabited by a mix of people most of whom came from somewhere else, and were and still are attracted by what it has to offer, is a special place like no other.
I used to wonder why we don’t have as much commitment to our faith as in some other countries. I learned that we used to. That’s how many of the original 13 colonies got started, and most of the people coming over here were very strong in their own faith. I used to think that we screwed the Indians out of their land, giving them a penned in wasteland and government “help” to justify ourselves. I learned that many of the Indians were paid or traded for what we got, and that some of the Indians were just as mischievous, deceitful, and violent as some of the white man were. I also learned that they had a different view of land use and ownership, and their ideas and ours collided, and so there was a series of events that played out that melded that into what we have now.
I learned about the bravery, sacrifice, determination, creativity, and suffering of men and women, black and white, who fought in the battles to gain our independence, most of which we lost, or served in other ways. I learned about how they didn’t have clothes and shoes; supplied their own arms. How most of the Founding Fathers had slaves, but were contradicted by it, and worked to get that changed. That some of the Founding Fathers were black. How Valley Forge was more like Death Valley for several years. How if we hadn’t run out of ammo in the very beginning at Bunker Hill, we might have won the war right off the bat.
That some blacks and women did vote in the colonial period, as well as the early days of the republic. How the media of the day laid out the case for the colonists’ grievances, and when it was apparent that the mother country wasn’t interested, laid out the case for independence and revolution. How preachers would speak of the Christian Bible, and how it’s God was a part of the making of this land, and then would shed their robe and don the uniform and fight alongside everyone else. How the role of Congress was supposed to be played by common citizens, from multiple backgrounds, who would sacrifice a term of their life to serve their country. Emphasis on sacrifice. It was expected that they would not gain financially from the service, and would go back to their previous trade afterwards, and a new set of folks would step in. How the senators were originally elected by the state legislatures, to represent their interests in Washington.
I could go on, but there are parades to watch, burgers and chicken to grill, drinks to ice down, and fireworks to watch (although business won’t be so good for them this year). Suffice it to say, we live in a great nation. Even with all our troubles, there are people who hike, float, ride and fly their way in here to what they know can be a better life for themselves. They leave behind family and heritage for an opportunity, but not a guarantee, to live free, be their own boss (even if they work for someone else), and die with dignity, passing on to their kin a legacy matched nowhere in the world.
We have our troubles, and we are divided, but not as much or so much as we are led to believe. Some of it is self-inflicted. We are in a free country, and able to live as such, practicing our trade and our faith; as long as we don’t interfere with our neighbor’s ability to do the same. Those outsiders who hate us don’t have what we have. The human spirit is meant to be free, even though we are imperfect, because we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.
I am overwhelmed by the thought of this at times, and eternally grateful to those who made it possible.
As we gather to celebrate a Monday off, let’s remember what it is about. Other countries have a day of independence. But only the United States of America celebrates Independence Day on July 4th. And that day reminds us of why we have what we do today, warts and all. Enjoy your freedom, and live it out proudly.
Happy Independence Day!!!
