THOUGHTFUL DAY

I doubt if anyone is glued to her computer this morning to read blogs, least of all mine. But I want to share my thoughts with you about the Fourth of July.

There’s a famous speech from “Newsroom,” delivered perfectly by Jeff Daniels, in which he derides a coed’s assertion that America is the greatest country on earth. It’s sobering, because the USA is behind on so many levels, when it ought to be leading the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyzDRc34l2g

And I think the writers for the show made some great points. In many ways, our country is resting on its laurels instead of moving forward.
Maybe the Fourth should be a day to emphasize that? We made such a great beginning; we should not stop moving toward improvement.

Despite all that, I want to take a minute to say that I think citizens of America are very fortunate, and I am proud to be counted among them. We seem to have lost clarity of vision, and unity of purpose, but still we are the most optimistic nation on earth, and achieving the American dream is still possible.

Let me point out that the American dream is not world conquest. The American dream is that by hard work and determination, someone who starts from a very humble beginning can achieve security and a good life . . . and by “a good life,” I mean one free of financial hardship and deprivation.

So, today, let’s think of how far we’ve come, how good that is; and let’s plan on throwing off divisiveness to go even farther.

Charlaine Harris

Comments

[Cath]

Some reflection on how we became a place of opportunity just as you said, "hard work and determination" is necessary to understand how this holiday evolved. Well said on all points, especially I believe that we seem not to be moving forward.

[Elaine Viets]

Agreed, Charlaine. Fourth of July is a good time to take stock of our country's accomplishments. We have achieved so much, but what's missing now is unity -- we're the UNITED states, and we fought a civil war for that.

[Charlaine Harris]

I agree, Cath and Elaine. We had such a great start; but now our progress seems mired down in partisan politics.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

My thirteen year old grandson read the Declaration of Independence out loud to us at breakfast this morning.

In years past, I've been the reader. This is the first year he wanted to. xoxoo