CELEBRATING FREEDOM THIS SUMMER

By Ruth A. Sheets

Believe it or not, 2023 is nearly half over.  Wasn’t it just yesterday we were celebrating the new year 2023?  Summer ushers in a time of year different from any other in our culture.  School is over and kids have time to play, think, read, and do a lot of other things without school requirements  shaping their days.  There is summer school, but it is and should be very different from programs during the year.  Families consider vacations and what they will do if they can afford to take one together.  Even if it’s only an illusion, summer means “freedom” to many.

It is totally appropriate that we get to formally celebrate freedom twice as a nation in the summer, Juneteenth and Independence Day.  Technically, Juneteenth is a day or two before the solstice, but for most of us, it’s summer.  On June 19^th, we celebrate when the last of the enslaved people in Texas in the defeated Confederacy were informed that they were free (as they should have been for about 2-and-a-half years since Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.  From that point, no one in the South could say they didn’t know that slavery was over.  OK, many white southerners “pretended” they didn’t know, but that’s another, very important  tale.

Two weeks after Juneteenth, we celebrate Independence Day where We the People (as our Constitution names us) celebrate America’s freedom.  That was the day the Declaration of Independence was formally signed by John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress and the Secretary, Charles Thompson, on behalf of the Congress itself.  The members of Congress would have the opportunity to sign the document a month later, but that was not a requirement, it was the members personally committing themselves to the goal of independence for “The United States.” 

The Declaration would have been a minor footnote of history had people of all 13 states not stepped up, along with foreign supporters, to drive the British armed forces from those states.  The fight lasted until 1783, more than 7 years after the Declaration was signed, and many people died to attain that goal.  That is a lot of commitment.

The founding legislators were all white men, but far more than just white men worked to gain American independence.  Women of many backgrounds contributed significantly as did Black Americans, and members of several indigenous communities.  The French and others from foreign lands helped out too.  In short, it was truly a group effort. 

Eleven years later when a group of men from all the states sat together in Philadelphia to try to hammer out a constitution to govern what was even at that time, a very mixed group that called itself America, they began the document with “We the People.”  They did not write “We the rich, white, Christian, straight, male People.”  Some may have been thinking that, but the truth is, they didn’t say it which means “We the People” does include more than that one particular group and over the years, our Constitution has expanded to be more inclusive.  For our nation to be truly great, the full diversity of America needs to participate in all aspects of American life, including governing. 

There are many right now who want to make the United States a “Christian” nation, Christianity being favored over all other groups.  That was definitely not what the founders wanted.  Some of the founders were Christian, John Adams, for example, but even he did not want this country to establish Christianity in any of its forms as the religion of America.  

Several of the founders, like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin  were Deists who believed in God, not a particular religious understanding of God.  Others, like George Washington considered one’s faith to be personal and not to be imposed by anyone on anyone else.  If the founders, those sacred men whom contemporary conservatives claim to revere didn’t want an established religion, what makes today’s “Christian nationalists” so determined to make it happen? 

White supremacists right now promote fear, fear of “white people being ‘replaced’” in this country.  They are, of course, vague as to what that means, but they hang it out here so white Christians, in particular will forget what Jesus taught about loving our neighbor, and will silence, even do harm to those who don’t look like themselves.  They don’t want people who don’t live as they do to participate in this society either.  Crimes against the LGBTQ community, for example, have increased significantly each year since 2020 when some politicians began targeting members of that community as though they are worthy of being harmed.  A large percentage of the people standing against women’s bodily autonomy and the rights of other groups are white “Christian” men, to many, the privileged class.  Our current Supreme Court conservatives act as though there is a privilege for white, straight, Christian men and their corporations, and seem to be trying to make our Constitution agree with them.

This Independence Day, we need to re-commit ourselves as a nation to the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” for all Americans, not just a certain set of Americans.  We also must remember that the writers of the Constitution wanted us to work to “form a more perfect union.”  We don’t have to shift our thinking very much to work for those things.  There are have always been people leading the way if we would pay attention.  At the time of our Declaration of Independence and Constitution there were people who already stood for equality and knew that slavery was not only wrong, but harmful to this nation, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Benjamin Rush, and probably every Black person in this country enslaved or free among them.  It’s too bad a lot of Americans were not listening.  Are we paying attention now?

I argue along with many others, that diversity and democracy are what made this nation strong from the time of our Revolution to the present, even though we got off track when it came to people of color and women.  We have the tools to do better in shaping our union, again, if we choose to. 

We have 2 chances to formally celebrate diversity and democracy this summer:  Juneteenth and Independence Day.  So, let’s go all out and celebrate FREEDOM!  We have an opportunity to concentrate on the many things We the People have in common.  But in addition, we must appreciate the contributions We the People make in all our diversity to this nation.  Our marvelous diversity can take us all into a brighter future, that is, if we stop allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by the forces that would rather divide us than unite us.  Make these Juneteenth and Independence Day celebrations joyous and vehicles for uniting We the American people.  

A Shared Occasion

by Ruth A. Sheets

America’s 236^th birthday has just passed.  It was a good chance to reflect on where we have been as a nation and where we are going.  Communities all over the country celebrated with parades, festivals, concerts, fireworks displays, naturalization ceremonies, and more.  We wore our flag on our sleeves and waved it in our hands.  We proudly let our patriotism show.  We need to do this now and then to remind ourselves that just as the founders 236 years ago were in it together, we are too.

I had the pleasure of walking in the bicentennial parade in my hometown, Norristown, PA.  Groups as diverse as a martial arts club, the sherriff’s department, the local volunteer fire companies, high school and community marching bands, a veterans’ motor cycle club, local churches and historical reenactors and performers participated. 

I cannot believe that everyone in the parade or watching along the route shared the same world view.  What we did share was a belief in America, and the idea of what America can be.  For those hours, we were one community in all its diversity.

People all over the country and even in many other parts of the world experienced the same connectedness.  Truly awesome!  Over 300 million people live in the United States and contribute to our history and will help to shape our future.  For at least one day, we came together to say that America is important to us and that Woody Guthrie was right when he wrote “This Land was Made for You and Me.”

Just as people who love Christmas want the best parts of Christmas to last throughout the year, lovers of July Fourth want the good feelings, the patriotism, the connectedness to last all year.

How do we keep our July Fourth spirit infusing our daily political interactions?  How do we help everyone to understand that it is because of, not in spite of our diversity that we have achieved greatness. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. It took little or no money for Americans all over the country to walk in or watch parades, to watch fireworks, to wish their neighbors a happy Fourth.  This way, Americans of all income classes can mingle and share the experience.  Community taxes and donations make this possible. 

2. Remember that the people we elect, our fellow Americans, should be selected for their ability to bring people together to share the struggle as well as the triumphs of our success, not for their financial prowess. 

3. Remember that our future is at least as important as our past.  We must be laying the foundation for a shared positive future every day through the way we provide for our Nation’s people, particularly our children.  Even in this venture, we should find ways to share the burden, each giving according to their ability to contribute, for the common good.

4. Don’t forget that those who demand the reciting of the “Pledge of Allegience” most loudly, on Independence Day and always, are often the ones most likely to forget that the last seven words are “indivisible with liberty and justice for ALL.”  They see themselves as America’s chosen.  They’re not.  They are us, neither better nor worse, nor more or less patriotic, just different.  Every American needs to continue to kindly remind our fellow citizens of this.

5. Remember that the founders who put on the line their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, were a diverse group that was trying to do something that had not been done before.  They learned to work together, to compromise, and to find a way through the storms of seven more years of war.  Maybe we need to put ourselves on the line as they did and be willing to pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor to make things better for all Americans.

6. None of the “patriotic” songs we sing this holiday say that being wealthy or powerful makes a person better or more important than any other American.  Keep that in mind when singing those songs we share.

7. Americans are very competitive and like to be “Number one.”  That can be applied to our nation as well.  If a team will truly be “Number One,” the whole team must work together.  That is not happening in the United States these days.  The better off members of the team scorn the less well off and accuse them of being dead weight and other unpleasant and even harmful names.  This does not inspire any of the members to achieve, or even participate in the game.  We need some well-trained cheerleaders to get our team to work together.  We’ll have a chance to vote for some of those cheerleaders this November, so show up at the polls.

I hope your Independence Day celebration was really special filled with family, community, and a national pride that will lead to accepting more responsibility for helping to enhance life and prospects for all Americans.  Keep the spirit alive this time around.

Show Us Your Patriotism and We’ll Show You Ours

By Ruth A. Sheets

Patriotism is one of those words that clearly means something different to people in each of the various groups in America.  I think that “patriotism” means love of one’s country. 

That sounds so simple.  If one loves one’s nation, one is “patriotic,” right?  Well, maybe not so simple.  Love is one of those words which can be defined so broadly that no two groups will understand it the same way.

For some, one can only demonstrate love of country through service in the military, while for others, vocally supporting the nation’s wars is sufficient.  Some require patriots to display a flag on the lawn and/or wear a flag pin in public.  Some expect patriots to know and sing all the “patriotic” songs and stand with their hand on their heart when singing the “National Anthem,” (even though standing at attention is actually correct).  Some only demand the saying of the “Pledge of Allegience” at every possible occasion (even though it is pledging to a flag, not to a country).

The element that is missing from all but the first understanding of patriotism is depth.  Mouthing support for a war, waving or wearing a flag, saying the “Pledge,” singing  “America the Beautiful” demand nothing of the practitioner.  These acts  are very visible and seem patriotic.  It is easy, then,  to designate those who don’t participate in the superficiality as unpatriotic.

Serving in the military is valuable and should be recognized, but it is not the only “deep” patriotism.  Every community in the United States has people acting patriotically every day:  volunteer fire-fighters, people who try to stop violence, folks who care for the frail seniors among us as well as the very youngest, and the most vulnerable.  Scout leaders, youth directors, people who staff soup kitchens, community pantries, and other services.  These are all patriots as are local elected officials, mediators, school safeties, teachers, environmentalists, innovators, and so many more.

What all of these people have in common is that they care not just about the country, but the people who live here too.  No matter what their political leanings, they see a need and try to meet it using the resources available to them.  These folks understand that America is a diverse place and that there is room for everyone here.  We are stronger together than separate.

So, celebrate this July 4^th, but do it with your neighbors and friends.  Display a flag, but remember that it is the symbol of a people more than of a place.  We are a flawed people, but we are trying to get better, and for the most part, we are.