HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

On this day above all others we remember what it means to be an American. With an upcoming presidential election that will affect this nation for years to come I pray that the Almighty will guide the leaders of this mighty land, and that His blessing be upon the American people. Despite its defects, America still stands as a beacon of light and hope and liberty to all. I firmly believe that this nation was founded as man's  first and perhaps best attempt at trying to come up with a humane and responsive system of government. A system of government ruled by laws and not the whims of men. Whether the current administration has lived up to that is of course a matter of debate, but if you are disillusioned you must remember that the value of America is not measured by those in power and what they do but rather by its set of ideals. Ideals so powerful that they have managed to transcend time and that still today inspire the hearts of men everywhere.Ultimately in a democracy like ours we are all responsible for our nation's well being--for America is not the president in the White House or the Senators and Representatives in Capitol Hill--America is first and foremost us. If we believe in  the promise of America in our hearts then that is what we will push our country to become and  we will hold our leaders accountable to that vision. If we become cynical and jaded and choose to opt out of our civic responsibilities then our nation will suffer for it and become a mirror image of what we the jaded expect it to be. America is a living experiment in the potential of the human spirit, for ultimately all human beings long to be free and can only express themselves to their full potential in a place where they are free.  This is so because God created human beings to be free.

The Constitution starts by saying "We the People." The powers of government in this nation ultimately flow from us. It is a call for deep introspection on the part of all of us--what do I  hold dear? What values do I espouse? What is the vision of America that I want to see come to life? What should this mighty country do around the world? What would be a responsible use of its power? How should it treat the people within its borders? Power is only as good as what it is put to use to. Power for its own sake is never legitimate, that road only leads to moral bankruptcy. The quintessential American comic book super hero Spider Man would say, "With Great Power comes Great Responsibility".  Too many Americans today feel disenfranchised and out of touch with the political system not realizing just how much power they truly hold. America let's wake up and stop the bellyaching--instead put your power to work--vote, write your congressman, form grass roots committees, put together  a third party, have political debate  and discussion societies, watch the news, inform yourself of the issues so you can make informed choices, print political newsletters, begin political blogs, etc. Your freedom of political speech is guaranteed by this nation!!  This nation begins and ends with you!!! The American Revolution started when ordinary American citizens like you and me decided they couldn't take it anymore. Civil Rights in this country were gained when ordinary people decided that  they weren't going to tolerate being treated like second class citizens any longer.  We can and do affect our nation!! But in order to do that we have to be willing to embrace our role in the political process and not be content to let others make all the decisions for us.

 A long time ago, President Lincoln once said  that he was resolved that "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."  Hundreds of years later--those words have never rung more true. I hope that it is our resolution as well.

I want to wish each and every single one of you a very Happy 4th of July!!