"Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness". Independence Day, 2016
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As a lad in the 50's, there was a thing called patriotism. It manifested itself in many ways.There were the essay contests in schools, Then there were the poppies. There were the Gold Stars in the windows which indicated the
ultimate sacrifice. Then there were the events surrounding the Fourth of July, the
day beginning with a grand parade... the day ending with
fireworks in an open field, preceded by fireworks in our own
backyard. I remember so much about those Fourth of July's, about
those Independence Days.
Picnics were held in every yard, and a grand one in the park.
Because Downers Grove, my home town, was an important town in DuPage
County, and because DuPage County was so important to the
hopes of the Illinois GOP, and thus the nation, we always got
a "name politician" to come and utter the expected platitudes
of the "God Bless America" variety.
The speeches were ample, rotund, every word known to
every one in the audience before they were even uttered.
Somewhere amidst the traditions of Middle America, I was called upon to render a few choice words about our nation. No one to my recollection tried to influence what I would say... a drawer full of SAR medals gave proof of what I would say,
how I would say it, and just how carefully I would treat this opportunity.
Within the parades was interspersed in all the sections the flag, and it
would be greeted with the universally known march of "Stars
and Stripes Forever." This wasn't just some display, this was
a declaration, a belief of certainty and of hope. "It's a grand
old flag, it's a high flying flag, and forever in peace may she
wave." There wasn't a person in that audience who didn't
believe those words as so much gospel, for so many of these
people had come from war ravaged Europe... fought
Communist tyrannies, Fascist tyrannies, and any amount of
violence and woe. They were proud, proud that
they were there, proud of the nation, proud of its place at the top of the world.
Then into their midst, thrilled to have the opportunity to show
just how good I could be, I was ushered to the microphone. Into this perfect
tableau, I had a few minutes of things to say. I thanked the
honored guests for their patience and kindness. But this was
1950's America, and people were still kind and patient.
I thanked my grandfather, who visibly squirmed in discomfort
(he so disliked the spotlight). Then I cited the teachers of the
village, the firemen who had rescued a child, and always a
special mention of the Vets, who always wore the insignia of
the nation, on the nation's Independence Day.
Yes, this was the opening of a "God Bless America" moment,
repeated throughout the nation. I said my piece, and if I do say so
myself, I said it well... at least everyone said so, for I was
regarded as a coming boy, and such need encouragement,
and I got my share.
What has happened to days like this one? Days of unity and
glad cooperation? Days when we came together to celebrate
the great nation we had built? Where have the kind neighbors
gone? Where are the certainties we believed in and lived by?
Where is the America that was not just a word, but a religion,
"where the wretched refuse of your teeming shore" did find
secure and hopeful futures, and lived lives of graciousness,
serenity, comfort, and mutual concern.
Today, this Fourth of July, I shall wonder where it all went
wrong. For it has gone wrong. That is why this Independence
Day, I shall stand aside, dismayed, thoughtful, wistful, angry,
now a fish out of water. We try to pretend that nothing is
different, that it's all progress; we're so much better off with
what we have that it's ungracious and foolish to wish for that
which we have lost. But lost it is.
Therefore, I shall spend the day remembering, grateful that I
was there for the original, anxious about the future, under no
illusions about what is coming in its terrific magnitude.
Finally, I will wonder, as I often do whether God would bless America now if He were given the chance.
Digital product in both PDF format and Kindle epub
ultimate sacrifice. Then there were the events surrounding the Fourth of July, the
day beginning with a grand parade... the day ending with
fireworks in an open field, preceded by fireworks in our own
backyard. I remember so much about those Fourth of July's, about
those Independence Days.
Picnics were held in every yard, and a grand one in the park.
Because Downers Grove, my home town, was an important town in DuPage
County, and because DuPage County was so important to the
hopes of the Illinois GOP, and thus the nation, we always got
a "name politician" to come and utter the expected platitudes
of the "God Bless America" variety.
The speeches were ample, rotund, every word known to
every one in the audience before they were even uttered.
Somewhere amidst the traditions of Middle America, I was called upon to render a few choice words about our nation. No one to my recollection tried to influence what I would say... a drawer full of SAR medals gave proof of what I would say,
how I would say it, and just how carefully I would treat this opportunity.
Within the parades was interspersed in all the sections the flag, and it
would be greeted with the universally known march of "Stars
and Stripes Forever." This wasn't just some display, this was
a declaration, a belief of certainty and of hope. "It's a grand
old flag, it's a high flying flag, and forever in peace may she
wave." There wasn't a person in that audience who didn't
believe those words as so much gospel, for so many of these
people had come from war ravaged Europe... fought
Communist tyrannies, Fascist tyrannies, and any amount of
violence and woe. They were proud, proud that
they were there, proud of the nation, proud of its place at the top of the world.
Then into their midst, thrilled to have the opportunity to show
just how good I could be, I was ushered to the microphone. Into this perfect
tableau, I had a few minutes of things to say. I thanked the
honored guests for their patience and kindness. But this was
1950's America, and people were still kind and patient.
I thanked my grandfather, who visibly squirmed in discomfort
(he so disliked the spotlight). Then I cited the teachers of the
village, the firemen who had rescued a child, and always a
special mention of the Vets, who always wore the insignia of
the nation, on the nation's Independence Day.
Yes, this was the opening of a "God Bless America" moment,
repeated throughout the nation. I said my piece, and if I do say so
myself, I said it well... at least everyone said so, for I was
regarded as a coming boy, and such need encouragement,
and I got my share.
What has happened to days like this one? Days of unity and
glad cooperation? Days when we came together to celebrate
the great nation we had built? Where have the kind neighbors
gone? Where are the certainties we believed in and lived by?
Where is the America that was not just a word, but a religion,
"where the wretched refuse of your teeming shore" did find
secure and hopeful futures, and lived lives of graciousness,
serenity, comfort, and mutual concern.
Today, this Fourth of July, I shall wonder where it all went
wrong. For it has gone wrong. That is why this Independence
Day, I shall stand aside, dismayed, thoughtful, wistful, angry,
now a fish out of water. We try to pretend that nothing is
different, that it's all progress; we're so much better off with
what we have that it's ungracious and foolish to wish for that
which we have lost. But lost it is.
Therefore, I shall spend the day remembering, grateful that I
was there for the original, anxious about the future, under no
illusions about what is coming in its terrific magnitude.
Finally, I will wonder, as I often do whether God would bless America now if He were given the chance.
Digital product in both PDF format and Kindle epub