My Country

“Even today, there is little value in ensuring the survival of our nation if its traditions do not survive with it.” - President John F. Kennedy –

What America is, has been, and is becoming, warrants serious consideration.

The words of John Kennedy, although they may make us uncomfortable, require that Americans consider what type of society we are, and are going to be. Our traditions of freedom, honor, and justice for all are the cornerstone of our nation. The loss of these basic values strips America of all that it stands for and all that it has stood for. Without these basic truths in operation, and vigorously defended, America ceases to be America.

I am an American. I believe in the ideals and values of America, but I cannot subscribe to the concept that America deserves blind support of its citizenry when it strays from our core beliefs. ‘America, right or wrong’ is as un-American a sentiment as George Bush senior’s words – “I will never apologize for America. No matter what the facts are.”

This type of blind allegiance, this cheap patriotism, is wholly un-American. It is the type of rhetoric most often heard when our government undertakes actions to circumvent our freedoms and protections, our rights and liberties, and our Constitution. America is more than the beating of a drum and the waving of a flag. America is more than idle words, insincere rhetoric, and false patriotism.

In 1931 we adopted the Star Spangled Banner as our National Anthem. The words of the Anthem speak for us to some degree, just as our flag represents us. The words proclaim not only who we are, but what we are as a society and nation. They recount our initial struggle for freedom and each stanza ends with the familiar words: “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

It is interesting to note that in the first stanza, unlike the other three, the line is a question : “Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” It’s a question we might consider today. Our flag flies proudly not only at home, but at places all over the world. It is a symbol not only of our nation, but of freedom – or, at least it has been. Today, many see it as a symbol of dominance and imperialism, and aggression. Some see it as a symbol of tyranny; the very thing we fought against when our nation was formed.

These are trying times in our history. These are times that, truly, test men’s souls. It is not an easy thing to criticize America. It is not easy to recognize and admit our wrong doing. But one must ask if our actions of late have been in the highest tradition of our country; have our actions been just? And, we must also ask, “Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” If not, then John Kennedy’s words have sounded the death toll of this grand experiment in democracy that we call America.

'And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!'

As a nation we have always invoked God, and God’s blessings. We have proclaimed our nation as a nation ‘trusting in God’. We use the words ‘one nation under God’ in our pledge of Allegiance. Yet, sadly, we have, of late, acted ungodly.

Micah 6:8 - He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

We have allowed the actions of a militant few to to cause us to throw off the very liberties we cherish for a false sense of safety. We have allowed a militant few to cause us to demonize an entire faith of others. We have, in fear, acquiesced to a government which views our most cherished Constitution as ‘just a goddamned piece of paper’ and has circumvented its proclamations at a whim. We have allowed a government, hell-bent on winning at all costs, to usurp all that we hold dear.

What is America without freedom? What is America without justice? What is America without truth? Sadly, it is nothing.