On July 4th we will celebrate the 245th anniversary of this great Republic founded by men who were neither gods nor angels but risked their lives on the chance that a new form of governance – democracy – may flourish. As Dwight D. Eisenhower so eloquently stated on Independence Day years ago: “Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.”
Like any great nation, we are certainly not without our flaws and like any large family, we have things buried in our past that we would rather remain hidden – slavery, our inequality in the treatment of immigrants, as well as the first inhabitants of the United States the American Indian. It was only until recently that I was made aware of the ugly race massacre in Tulsa Oklahoma where death estimates range from 75 to 300 and both blacks and whites were killed in May and June 0f 1921.
But in spite of these injustices in our history we should strive not to cover these events up but rather to learn from them and continue to build upon the foundation of this great nation laid by our Founding Fathers. They like us were not perfect but rather they had a vision and charged us to continue to build upon that foundation overseen by the eye of Providence laid over 200 years ago. As the pyramid on the reverse Great Seal of the United States dramatically illustrates – perfection will never be achieved but each succeeding generation of Americans should strive to bring us closer to that goal.
It is no secret that many in America in the current “social revolution” want to tear down and cancel both the physical and ideological vestiges of the past to include democracy in an effort to remake the United States in their own flawed pie in the sky and never achievable utopian image.
Unfortunately, history has taught us despite the best intentions these utopias never work – their ruins are littered with the bodies of many sacrificed in an effort to achieve an unattainable end. As Chairman Mao stated in 1959 “It is better to let half of the people die so that the other half can eat their fill.” His Great Leap Forward was responsible for tens of millions of Chinese deaths — perhaps as many as 45 million — from the time it started in 1958 through the early 1960s. In addition, several million were executed for various “crimes” against the Communist Chinese Party.
In addition, one can also look at the former Soviet Union to see the inevitable failed end state of socialism – no personal freedoms and oppression of the masses by the ruling “elite.” Sound all too familiar ?
Since that fateful day in 1775 at Lexington and Concord when the first blood of the Republic was shed by the Minutemen over 500,000 Americans have died to preserve the freedom we enjoy today.
In spite of our flaws and at time sordid past, July 4th is a day to celebrate the birthday of the nation blessed by Providence that continues to serve as the beacon for the free world providing hope to millions who look to us to fight tyranny and oppression. Like “Ike” stated, freedom must be earned and refreshed daily even if only in our hearts.
Happy Birthday America! May God Bless and Protect You
