I am a patriot. Today I honor the
decision 236 years ago to declare independence from Great Britain.
Like my fellow citizens I will celebrate with fireworks and barbecue
and a parade, and my eyes will well with proud tears at the annual
reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Ours is a powerful and proud country.
We have a history of faith in divine providence and a firm belief
that we have a destiny to lead the world. But we also are kind and
generous and have a tradition of aiding those who need our help, both
individually and nationally.
Which is why I am so saddened by the
current state of our political discourse. In the Declaration of
Independence our forefathers stated "we mutually pledge to each
other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor" as they set
forth to "institute new Government, laying its foundation on
such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them
shall seem most likely to effect [the] Safety and Happiness" of
the American people.
Today, instead of working together
toward the greater good our politicians snipe and cut at each other,
standing more on soundbites than principles. Above it all, wealthy
people and corporations collect more money and more power, leaving
the poor behind. We seem to have lost sight of the lofty ideals which
have given our country such strength and endurance.
I have friends and family who like to
tell me that the United States is a Christian country. I could
dispute that, but instead I'd like to remind them of Leviticus
19:9-10: “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not
wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the
gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard,
neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt
leave them for the poor and stranger.”
On the anniversary of the launch of
this great experiment, I pray that we, as a united people, remember
the spirit in which our country was founded – that the government
is a tool for securing life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
for all its citizens.
Ilyanna, I followed you home from Derfwad Manor, and I love your writing so much that I had to add you to my Reader (despite the fact that I am very behind on blog reading and probably will be for the rest of the summer).
ReplyDeleteI stand with you on your post. The verses I've been clinging to, ever since the ugly politics frustrated me beyond relief, are:
"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."
-- Micah 6:8
"[Jesus replied] ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'" -- Matthew 22:37-39
As you already know, we can only change ourselves.