Independence Day 2024

I came across a video of John Wayne talking about our responsibility as citizens to "do something good" for our country, and then leading a group of celebrities from the not-so-distant past, dressed to represent the major groups of people who have made America great through the years, in the singing of God Bless America.  The groups represented in costume include Indians and Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving, to the Founding Fathers, to the soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War, to the freed slaves, to the western settlers, cowboys and shopkeepers across all 50 states.  America has always been a melting pot of people with diverse backgrounds and beliefs.  It has been and still is one of our greatest sources of strength as a nation. And in times when our liberty and security as a country has been challenged, we have always found that our unity has led us to victory.

John Wayne opens the video by encouraging all of us to recite on the Fourth of July: “This is my country and I’m going to do something good for it.”   That’s not too unlike the urging by John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address, that we should “Ask not what your country can do for you …  ask what you can do for your country”.

The common thought here is, it is not just the words of the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence that we celebrate on Independence Day.  Wasn’t it the selfless sacrifice of those leaders and their fellow citizens, who committed to each other “their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor”, as stated in the last sentence of that Declaration before signing their names?  And then risked everything they had to bring those words to life in an Independent America?  They committed to this sacrifice in the belief, the faith, that it would lead to the freedom they sought;  a freedom they sought not just for themselves, but for all the citizens of America. And the future generations of Americans they would never know or meet.

On national holidays like July 4th, our thoughts often are focused on the sacrifices and service of those in the military who are far away from home and loved ones, standing watch to ensure our freedom and our national security.  Again, it is the sacrifice and service to their country and fellow citizens that earns them the gratitude that nearly every American rightly shares and often expresses.

So here's a thought on one action we could choose to do that would be good for our country, in following John Wayne’s and John F. Kennedy’s words.  In this election year, let's honor the sacrifices and service of others that have secured our freedom for the past 240 years in actions, not just by saying "thank you for your service" ... that's far too easy.  Let's commit to try and mirror their ability to focus on doing their jobs and serving their countrymen in both parties, in all regions, all ages, races, creeds, beliefs, genders, economic levels and sexual orientations, as we discuss the best ways to help our country address our problems, with respect for differences and unity of purpose.  And let’s choose candidates in our local, state and national elections who are committed to the principles of the government established by our Founders, and passed on to us to “preserve, protect and defend” … and to work to make it “more perfect”.

Let's commit to work together to address our challenges and problems by listening to, respecting and working creatively to address the needs and concerns of Americans on all sides of the ideological spectrum. The national polls on the major challenges in the country today clearly indicate that there is a large disconnect between the actions of our current leaders in both parties and the needs and concerns of a large segment of voters, often the majority of voters.  In all honesty, the leadership in neither political party has done a good job of serving the overall needs of the country, of all Americans.  The focus of too many of our elected leaders is primarily on various segments of people within their party's base of supporters.  And as for sacrificing personally for the benefits of others … that unfortunately seems to be a characteristic that our leaders, and too many Americans expect those in the military and our first responders, fail to exhibit themselves.

I believe a case could be objectively made that rigid ideologies and partisanship are major barriers to working together for effective solutions to our problems.  Our first President, George Washington, spoke at length in his farewell address about the dangers to our national unity, and thus our security as a nation, of the biases that partisanship injects into our social framework.  How did we lose our respect for the beliefs and concerns of other Americans, and replace it with the belief that our personal ideas and ONLY our ideas are the best ideas for America?  Indeed, both sides often resort to claiming the title of “true American” or “American patriot” only for those who share their beliefs about how to best address our major problems.  This is not just unfortunate; I believe as George Washington did over 200 years ago, that it is dangerous to our national unity, our security, and our strength as a country … perhaps the greatest danger our country has faced in more than 150 years.

Many of the celebrities in this video have unfortunately passed on. The challenge they present to this generation, then, is to renew our own commitment to sacrifice and service for the good of the country and our fellow citizens.  While our founders left us a legacy of liberty, protecting that liberty today, as in 1776, depends on the unity, the interdependency, of our citizens. We each need to commit to working to respect and understand the beliefs, needs and concerns of those who look and think differently that we do, and to develop "Win-Win" solutions that can accommodate both our and their concerns.  Without such an approach, we may continue to experience only the "Win-Lose" or sometimes "Lose-Lose" of partisan politics and self-interest.

As we celebrate Independence Day this year, let us each strive to be citizens of a country where we work to resolve our differences for the benefit of the country overall, as the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence did 248 years ago.  Let’s not just honor their words, let us by our actions begin to honor their service and sacrifices that have provided the freedoms and the liberty we enjoy today, and celebrate together, in unity.

Happy Birthday, Americans all! 

Enjoy the Video --  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm4wQJEZlvI.