I had the opportunity to see people in our community take time to say they care about our community and demonstrate in their actions that they care about our country. Their message? They are showing they care about our freedoms and our democracy by standing together and imploring an elected representative of theirs to do better.
This column is not meant to be any personal attack on an individual but support for the power of the people to engage, to stand up and demonstrate their support of equity and equality for everyone.
The message of these gatherings reflects a democracy that values every person, that supports the ideals that people fought for and gave their lives for, the preservation of our freedoms, the values and beliefs our forefathers defined when this country was founded.
Imagine those young people who fought in wars to preserve those freedoms, who fought for every inch of land on the shores of Normandy or the Pacific Theater, how they would feel if now they saw how prejudice and bias abounds with the seeming intent to limit our freedoms.
In our country’s history, the voice of its people rang out to describe how opportunity and a dream for a brighter future is possible. A dream for every person. Our history is filled with brave men and women with bold ideas that reflect a country that when challenged would rise up and become the greatest country on earth. A country respected around the world as a beacon of hope and possibility, of opportunity for all who have the desire to make theirs a better life.
It is a country that has evolved itself, invested in itself and rose up to each and every challenge and said with conviction, “We Are Proud Americans” who believe in our founding fathers and all who have worked and served to retain our freedoms and dealt with and met the challenge of evil leaders and evil empires.
Does America have challenges? Sure it does. But it has always come together to meet every challenge with the united force which is America.
The demonstrations we’ve witnessed locally and across this country are not a one-off situation, or as some political whacks would describe it as some little blip, rather it demonstrates that people do care. They care about their country, they care about their community, they care about their freedoms, they care about how they are represented and they care about the principles on which our country was founded.
It is sad to watch our country perceived across the world as something less than that beacon of hope and possibility for every person that calls America home. Now that doesn’t mean we can solve all the world’s problems, but we should stand up on the ideals of the democracy our forefathers so bravely crafted and applied and which has made us the envy of the rest of the world. It’s been the hallmark of our country and if we abandon such an ideal, we will dim that beacon of hope for so many.
Lincoln said, “United we stand, divided we fall.” We can disagree on some things, we can debate and argue, but we need to bring civility in doing that, and rally to our strength which is the hope for every person.
Can the bureaucracy of our governance become more efficient and streamlined, eliminating some of its inefficiencies? Yes it can, but not with a sledge hammer. We do have warts and they should be addressed, but the essence and beliefs of our Constitution and democracy must prevail. We can’t change our deep-seated beliefs as Americans which lie in the ongoing quest of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
I was inspired to see people across our communities and this country stand up and say we can do better, our representatives can do better and our country can look at itself and learn. It can become stronger and hopefully more united. That should be our hope, that together we can all share the vision and values of our founding fathers and share the pride that has developed for 249 years.
And as we approach Memorial Day, let us reflect and together join our hearts and hands and never forget those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for us to enjoy our American way of life, where freedom and democracy rings thoughout this country.
May God bless all of you and God bless the USA!
