Ticket 2 Ride

July 4 marks the anniversary of when Congress, comprised of delegates from the United States’ original 13 colonies, signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The document declared the nation’s independence from Great Britain.

It’s America’s birthday. A hard-fought birthday. It’s still a hard-fought birthday, for a Union that is not perfect, but one that continues to evolve.

America has greatness and much to celebrate. Let’s embrace the good but not forget the problems we need to fix. We have one country, that is divided into various factions. In 1776, our nation shared a common experience and purpose. Today, it’s more about entrenched alternate realities.

In the broader context of our country, we celebrate the something called freedom, a priceless commodity in a world that is turning towards repressive, restrictive governments. Why is that? Fascism is on the rise, although the perpetrators are wily enough to twirl a shiny object as a distraction while stealing freedoms cloaked as a superior life.

On July 4th, we take time to enjoy life (unless you have to work) with family gatherings, picnics, parades, trips to the lake, baseball and fireworks. it’s a tradition to blow up things and terrify humans and animals with loud explosions. It’s a God-given right to light the fuse of something that can remove fingers or ignite the neighbor’s roof. Gunpowder is not directly mentioned in the Constitution, thanks to the Chinese for inventing it.

While Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, it was not until 1870, almost a hundred years later, that African-American males were given the right to vote. Of course, Jim Crow laws were used to interfere in voting. Even today, tricks and skullduggery masquerading as “voter protection” laws thwart access to voting in parts of the country.

Ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 allowed women to vote. Although opening a checking account or registering a vehicle without a husband’s consent would be a problem for many decades.

The battle ground over basic rights continues to this day. Although this country was founded on the freedom of worship, and the separation of church and state, we continue to face the de-evolution of those concepts. Something to think about.

July 4th is a time where many show their love of country, or express their patriotism. Loving one’s country does not have to be a blind love, a divisive love or a caustic one. We don’t have to subscribe to everything is perfect in order to love our country. How can we only love those who we agree with or those who look like us, and hate other Americans? Patriotism is not a sword, although imagery is often battle or war. And there is a distinct difference between patriotism and nationalism.

I borrowed this:

The highest expression of patriotism is love of your fellow citizens. Remember, in unity there is strength and in diversity there is ability.

July 4th is a day to celebrate our country and also to take stock of what it represents. Our vagabond little country broke away from England and began learning what it was about to form a union. The framers of the founding documents of our country did not agree on everything, nor did every colony citizen. What they did agree on became the foundation of what became our country and a system of governance to address issues and provide for conducting business of the country. Perfect? No. A work in progress. Still.