Before I start, I want to apologize to everyone living outside America. I don’t mean to exclude you. But with (American) Independence Day less than a week away, I wanted to address a couple thoughts about the current state of our nation.
Now, it’s no secret that in the past year America has faced growing criticism and several setbacks. Due to this, there seems to have been a sizable lack of patriotism displayed at large. I’m not going to ignore the fact that we have an increasing decline of support for public education, that we’ve taken steps backward in trying to reduce our carbon emissions, or even the consistent distrust we have in the media. And I’m not saying you should ignore these things either. Because of the slew of difficult situations plaguing our country right now, it can be tough to consider acknowledging it. But despite the flaws in many of our systems, there are still so many good things to celebrate.
We invented the Internet (more or less- it’s a bit complicated). We found a way to take our travels to the skies. We have Coca-Cola. We put a man on the moon and ice in our drinks. Best of all, we chose to be free- 241 years ago. And no matter what gets put in our way, we continue to fight for that freedom America promises. That’s why we have this fabulous holiday (and an excuse to break out our grills and sparklers).
Again, I don’t want you to think I’m naively shouting praises to a country that still hasn’t mastered universal healthcare. We still have several more strides to take in order to maintain (or regain) our status as a world leader. There are little things we can do to help our environment or to show support for civil rights, but no one person can change the world. That may just mean no one person is at fault either… Sometimes the biggest differences start with the smallest actions. Don’t forget to keep our victories in mind this holiday season. Happy Independence Day!
samanthasabio 