Happy birthday, America!!
My goodness, the struggles you’ve endured. Centuries ago, settlers came from Englamd (and other places) came here seeking religious freedom. Instead, they found famine and illness and hostile indigenous people. Death was often the end result. Yet, they still came seeking a better life. Harsh winters tried to discourage them, new illnesses for which there were no cures. Skirmishes with the natives couldn’t bridle their enthusiasm, to leave bad behind and seek out something new, and hopefully better. And then after years, we finally got it right, somehow they all learned to live together. We shared with each other our knowledge of agriculture, weaponry from an industrialized mother country and other of doing things. We taught each other. But Mother England wasn’t happy. She didnt want to let go of her subjects. They wanted independence, England wanted their taxes, with no one to represent them in Parliament. Unfair, raw deal!!, thought our founding fathers.
So, His majesty sent over fabulously dressed redcoats armed to the teeth. Impressive looking indeed, but they didn’t know the lay of the land. And the American troops, little scrappy bastards soundly defeated the British Army. Then, a whole bunch of white guys met in what had to be one damned hot hall Philadelphia to pen The Declaration of Independence. We severed ties with Britania and the United States of America was born
Independence. Our own perfectly imperfect Union.
That said, are we a perfect country? Oh hell no. Never have been, never will be. We’ve got a lot scars and reasons to cringe and blush. Antebellum slavery. the Civil War, The indentured servitude of Irish and Italian immigrants up north. Yankees, your hands are not so clean either. The way native Americans have been treated. Treaty after treaty broken. The KKK. The Black Panthers. Hate groups hell bent on keeping others groups down! by violent means, not by acting exemplary. Hate is ignorance.
But in spite of her faults, the poverty, the murder rate, the prejudice, certain inequities, the failure in certain situations regarding education, the misogyny and that damned glass ceiling for women. All downers, right? But the hard core truth is, I just wrote what I wrote freely and as a result, I don’t fear some armed hoodlums grabbing me off the street and shoving me into a delapidated VW van built during the Nixon administration and I’ll never be heard from again.
I can drive a car, I can choose to have a baby or not. I can marry or not. I can get a job, adopt a child, own my home, vote for the candidate of my choice though this election year gives us horrible options. I can dress how I choose and I can live as choose as long as I adhere to the laws of this land. And that means worshipping as I see fit— or not worshipping at all. We’re free to be straight, gay, bi, transgendered, fat, thin, shy, gregarious, outrageous, sedate. Socialists, Democrats ,Log Cabin Republicans, Independents. Jewish, Mormons, B’ahi….anything we want.
We come from everywhere and we bring our lifestyles with us but once here, we become Americnas. Preface it if you must by revelling in your Lithuanian heritage, but treasure your status as American.
So, please, pray for your country….my country on this, her 240th birthday. Yeah, she’s been through hell, and yes, she’s done her share of hell raising, but she is a wonderful place. In spite of it all, she IS a truly wonderful place.
And listen to this week’s Supernatural Saturday Night from 8-10pm (CST) on RadioBrave.com and TuneIn.com. We’ll feature the absolutely amazing , mind boggling Carrie Carter, an angel expert and Psychic Extraordinaire.
Now, you just wait a minute and don’t hold judgment: Advertising and opportunistic free enterprise are all part of the American Dream. Somewhere, I just made a founding father very pleased.
Happy Fourth of July.
Your friends at Supernatural Saturday Night.
