Jamie

Weinstein

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July 4, 2008

A Fourth of July Tribute to a Revolutionary Nation

It was just a mere 232 years ago that 56 men put their pen to parchment and signed the Declaration of Independence. With the possible exception of the American Constitution, drafted in 1787, the Declaration of Independence is our most important founding document. Its revolutionary words set the course for our revolutionary nation. 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident," the document declares, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

Wow.

It may be hard to believe in our modern world, but when America declared itself independent and established itself as a sovereign nation – first under the Articles of the Confederation and later under the United States Constitution – it was the only liberal democracy in the entire world. Sure, not everyone could actually vote. But what was remarkable about America was not who couldn't vote, but the fact that anyone could vote at all.

And what about "all men being created equal?" This too was a revolutionary idea for a nation upon which to found itself. Modern scholars like to point out that the words were hollow when they were written by Thomas Jefferson in July 1776. Women in the American republic were denied the franchise until 1919 and blacks were legally property. True enough. But this was not was unique about the American experiment.

Slavery was a universal institution that had existed from time immemorial in nearly every culture and clime. It still exists in too many parts of the world today. This doesn't minimize its evil. But to suggest that slavery was uniquely American or that this wicked institution was what stood out about the American experiment in 1776 would be utterly fallacious.

Today, at 232, America faces many problems, but as long as we have innovative thinkers and a courageous citizenry, then this country which was founded with a "firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence" will surely overcome our current obstacles. We have certainly risen above them before.

I read the polls that show America is not looked upon favorably in much of the world. Sometimes doing the right thing is controversial. The fact of the matter is America remains the world's greatest hope. If not for America, who would stand up to Islamist would-be tyrants who seek to impose their medieval and sadistic vision on the world? Even as many Europeans heap scorn on us and our foreign policy, they continue to gladly take comfort in the protection our military might provides them. 

Yes, for so many reasons, America is a remarkable nation. Speaking in 2002 to an MTV audience, former Secretary of State Colin Powell explained to a hostile questioner what makes America so unique in world history. He said,

"[F]ar from being the Great Satan, I would say that we are the Great Protector. We have sent men and women from the armed forces of the United States to other parts of the world throughout the past century to put down oppression. We defeated Fascism. We defeated Communism. We saved Europe in World War I and World War II. We were willing to do it, glad to do it. We went to Korea. We went to Vietnam. All in the interest of preserving the rights of people.

"And when all those conflicts were over, what did we do? Did we stay and conquer? Did we say, ‘OK, we defeated Germany. Now Germany belongs to us? We defeated Japan, so Japan belongs to us?’ No. What did we do? We built them up. We gave them democratic systems which they have embraced totally to their soul. And did we ask for any land? No, the only land we ever asked for was enough land to bury our dead. And that is the kind of nation we are."

There is a reputation that America has, which we should not be too quick to give up. It is encapsulated in a story Ronald Reagan told during his farewell address in 1989. The image that kept coming back to our outgoing president, as he was reflecting upon America and his tenure in the White House, was "a nautical one – a small story about a big ship, and a refugee and a sailor."

"It was back in the early ’80s," Reagan said, "at the height of the boat people. And the sailor was hard at work on the carrier Midway, which was patrolling the South China Sea. The sailor, like most American servicemen, was young, smart and fiercely observant. The crew spied on the horizon a leaky little boat. And crammed inside were refugees from Indochina hoping to get to America. The Midway sent a small launch to bring them to the ship and safety. As the refugees made their way through the choppy seas, one spied the sailor on deck and stood up and called out to him. He yelled, ‘Hello, American sailor. Hello, freedom man.’”

On this Fourth of July, let us remember the great nation our founders established and the great warriors who have stood and continue to stand in defense of her. They remain our freedom men. They remain the bulwark of this country and the pride of America.

Happy Birthday USA. 

© 2008 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.

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