Happy 239th USA!

239 years ago in my birthplace, Philadelphia, the Declaration of Independence was signed. It was adopted on July 2 which John Adams thought would go down in history as the auspicious day. It was proclaimed on July 4. Americans chose that day as our birthday.

I abstain from pronouncing America as the world's greatest nation. We have too much hatred, divisiveness, ignorance, inequity and apathy to make such a grandiose declaration. Despite this, I love my country. I try to focus on the facts rather than the myths and folklore. I was told that during the Protestant Reformation Martin Luther once said, "I have no problem with Catholicism, it's Catholics I can't stand." While this is apocryphal, it eruditely explains my feelings towards America and Americans.

Red, blue, liberal, conservative, right, left - the terms of demarcation run on ad nauseam. I strongly
defend the country's freedom of speech and admire my fellow citizens' differences of opinion. All viewpoints must be considered as this republic* thrives on compromise. I believe the recent disdain for compromise represents our nation's biggest dilemma.

*Trivia side note - the United States is not a democracy; it is a republic. While a democratic form of government, it differs from a democracy in that elected officials represent the views of their constituents. As Mark Twain stated, "We have the best government money can buy." Will Rogers focused more on the individuals saying, "We have the best politicians money can buy." Special interest groups and single-issue politics form the antagonists of our system.

The United States bears many blemishes of dishonor in its history. At first only white, male landowners could vote, then just white males, decades past before people of color and woman could vote. Many nations, including Russia, abolished slavery before America did, and that was only after a four-year war. In 1953, the CIA with support from President Eisenhower and the Dulles brothers overthrew the legally, democratically elected government of Iran to protect U.S. and British oil holdings. The following year, the CIA did the same thing in Guatemala to keep that country's fertile soil in the hands of American owned, United Fruit Company. These are just a few examples.

Regardless of said blemishes, the United States remains a beacon of freedom for the world. Those escaping from intolerance, hatred and economic servitude yearn for our shores. The ideal of the United States draws them. It is this ideal we celebrate on Independence Day.

I eschew a jingoist, chauvinist view of America. I love this county in spite of its florid history. Only by seeing what we truly are, can we strive to live up to the words written by our forefathers:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." As ever - BB

“As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said 'No Trespassing.'
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me."  - Woody Guthrie This Land is Your Land