Happy Birthday

Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy Birthday, America.

Today you're 233 years old, based on the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

I've only been a part of your existence for 43 years. Seventeen of those years were spent in your service, and I was proud to do it, happy to do it. Because I think the ideas you stand for, and the ideal you strive for, is worth defending, including and up to the sacrifice of my life if required.

Here lately it seems like you've been getting a few black eyes. Your elected leaders have lied, they've behaved in an immoral and stupid fashion. They've betrayed the ideals you've come to represent.

This certainly isn't the first time your leaders have disgraced your ideals. Hopefully this time, like in the past, subsequent generations will see the folly of their forebears and work to do better, and commit to living up to your promise.

It's the very least we can do.

Happy Birthday, America - many happy returns of the day.

2 comments:

Dr. Phil (Physics) said...

I take heart in the fact that politics in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries were also filled with black eyes and shenanigans. (grin)

And it STILL survives all that. (double-barreled-grin)

Happy 4th!

Dr. Phil

Janiece said...

I was thinking of the more obvious examples (slavery, Japanese internment, Jim Crow), but you are correct - each generation has it's fair share of the shenanigans.

Progress, not perfection, as the Smart Boy's 5th grade teacher used to say.