Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you." -Jean-Paul Sartre
At our house, Fourth of July celebrations go a little something like this:
1) Hang the flag on the front porch.
2) Cook up a BBQ feast.
Oh, I've heard it a lot these past few years, and it goes a little something like this:
I don't want to celebrate the Fourth of July because
A) the United States is such a messed-up country,
B) the Founding Fathers were just wealthy white men with slaves,
C) our president/congress/senate/Supreme Court sucks.
And you know, I get that. I really do.
An appalling number of blacks die from police force.
Women's reproductive rights have been eroded.
Legal and illegal immigrants are under attack.
The investigation into the January 6 insurgency yields shocking results.
Homelessness and drug addiction continue to run wild
Mass shootings go on and on and on.
Layer in systemic frustrations with capitalism, the religious right, white supremacy, and college debt, and it's no stretch to say that life in these United States is going through a rough patch.
So yeah, I get it when folks are running a bit low on patriotic spirit.
But I offer three simple words to turn this mood around.
We the People.
Our country does not belong to a king, a dictator, or even a duly elected president for life.
Our country belongs to the people.
We the People.
Our constitution is an imperfect document, created by imperfect humans who built in safeguards and opportunities for changing it as needed.
Our constitution gives power to the people.
We the People.
Our government consists of elected and appointed leaders who serve for a specified length of time.
Our government works for the people.
We the People.
So if you, like me, think there is some room for improvement in the way we live our lives in this country, then let's not blame and complain about
our country,
our constitution,
our government.
Let's get up and get going.
We have a lot of work to do to build the kind of nation that we are dreaming of.
We have a lot of work to do to build the kind of nation that we are dreaming of.
No one's going to do it for us.
The great privilege and fearsome responsibility for making change in the United States belongs to you and me.
We the People.
As usual, wonderfully written Diane! Hugs to Gracey and the whole crew of you down there.
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