July 4, 2018
Can I celebrate this day the way I have past Independence Days: without thought, concern, doubt, fear, disgust, or alarm?
The question plagues me as I watch the sun rise on this two hundred and forty-second birthday of the United States of America. On this day more than two centuries ago a group of men signed a paper declaring America would no longer be ruled by another nation. Our country would be independent of and from outside dominance. Henceforth we would determine our own fate, decide how we would be governed, guided by a Constitution that promised equality.
Not a perfect document, but one filled with hope, determination, and belief that individual voices can better chart the future of this new democracy, not one person.
So I wonder if we, the people of this fragile yet strong, and relatively new nation, can weather the storm of today’s internal strife.
I don’t have a crystal ball showing what the USA will look like in 20 or 40 or 100 years, but I know the decisions we make today will color, determine, shade and dictate what our grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren will see when they are our age.
Will they see a nation that offers safety to the homeless?
Will they have the right to raise their arms and voices in protest without government retaliation?
Will women have control of their bodies?
Will children be assured of safety and care?
Will minorities be treated equally?
Will the earth be abundant and fertile, free of toxins spewing and scorching its inhabitants?
Will a middle class exist?
Will this span of land be filled with haves and have-nots?
Will the nation be a leader?
Will it be an entity beating its chest, taking advantage of whoever and whatever it can?
Will they be a people of peace?
Will they be a people of abuse?
Will they love who they don’t know?
Will they fear who they don’t know?
Will they be open to the oppressed?
Will they be exclusive and prejudiced?
Will white men continue to dictate the rules of society?
Will women’s voices be heard, respected, heeded?
Will the United States be united by force, isolated and alone?
Will the people rule and govern?
Will more estrogen rule or more testosterone?
Will future generations know freedom as we do today?
I wonder and worry.
If we don’t speak out will future generations be allowed to do so?
I don’t know, the people will decide.
All pertinent and good questions. I’m going to re-blog your excellent post and answer them on my own site. This is a time of such uncertainty that maybe some of those answers won’t be hopeful nor positive. But it’s worth think about certainly and hope is a thing we all can use, not the least of which is our poor nation. Thanks for this!
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Thanks for the reblog. Oh give me hope.
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The people will decide…
Yes, but will it be the majority of the people?
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Yes, that is the concern.
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Well done!!
From: that little voice Reply-To: that little voice Date: Wednesday, July 4, 2018 at 11:45 AM To: Paula James Subject: [New post] July 4, 2018
WordPress.com that little voice posted: ” July 4, 2018 Can I celebrate this day the way I have past Independence Days: without thought, concern, doubt, fear, disgust, or alarm? The question plagues me as I watch the sun rise on this two hundred and forty-second birthday of the United States”
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Thanks.
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We have a lot of issues to be concerned about in our country bayou enumerated a lot of them. But remember and take hope in the fact that every generation feels “it is the best of times and the worst of times.”
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That is true, Bernadette, I’m ready for the best of times!
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Reblogged this on Peter's pondering and commented:
Margo, “That little voice”, has a few very pertinent questions for the American people on this, their Independence Day. The same questions apply to all countries, to all societies, to all peoples, and it is the people who must decide the answers. I do so hope that they get it right!
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Peter, I too hope we all get it right. I’m fearful bigotry and the desire for power will win, at least in the short term. Stay hopeful and VOTE.
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❤
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Thanks.
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My thoughts were along the same lines today. I wondered if folks couldn’t help but compare past and present 4th celebrations and if it made them think seriously about what they wanted this country to be and how they’d vote come fall. Or even IF they’ll vote… Right now this is not my country. We did not celebrate today. Great post!
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Thank you for your response. We must encourage everyone we know to vote this year. Our world needs changes to take place, and the polling booth is the place to go to make those changes.
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I attended a block party today that has a long tradition of neighbors joining together to celebrate long friendships, something I can agree with. I had problems viewing the flag decorations without feeling cynicism – and fear. Have any of the members of our current government actually read the Constitution?
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It would be interesting to learn how many have taken the time to study the Constitution. That would be a good debate…have candidates discuss the foundation of our country.
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An excellent post and a poignant one. Of course I have no answers because I don’t have a crystal ball either (despite telling people often that I have special powers 😉). The fact is, though, that this is a tiny moment in a long history. An Administration of 4 years duration in a country born 242 years ago. Surely the real and most important thing is to ensure that there is robust, engaged and charismatic leadership in opposition and a party fit to roll over the foe. No more blame and rock throwing but energy channeled into ensuring that this is a flash in the pan and that lessons will be learned that lead the country back to it’s heritage of fairness and Democracy. I speak, by the way, as a woman born in Britain who is watching her country of birth commit the biggest mistake of my own lifetime and seemingly doing nothing to stop it. That my home is in France and that we escaped by the grace of a man stepping up to form his own political party, a man charismatic and intelligent enough to go from zero to hero in less than a year to become the youngest President since Napoleon Bonaparte himself, a far-right leader whose own father formed the National Front Français which is basically the Fascist party by another name. Dark times deserve an attitude of you can if you will. But that requires an end to bickering and a focussed and formulated effort to find a leader who has the charisma to pull people behind them and the guts to refuse to roll over and give up. Living here for the moment and maybe permanently I for one will not be overcome but neither will I pull my punches when I finally have the courage to speak up. Thank you Margo, for such a thought provoking and moving post.
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The thanks goes to you for such an in-depth response. I have to remind myself daily that ‘this too shall pass’, and as I’ve often heard, ‘it came to pass.’ Both remind us time moves on, and everything changes. The problem is I want those changes RIGHT NOW. Thanks for reading and talking with me!
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No thanks needed …. I enjoy the interaction with a wise and witty person (that’s you by the way) immensely. And of course RIGHT NOW would be grand, wouldn’t it?
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Thought-provoking stuff indeed!
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Thanks. Wish I didn’t feel the need to write it.
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Thank you for the mention.
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