The Fourth of July. A time for BBQ and loud noises and drunken neighbors arguing over who set the dog on fire.
But it's also a solemn holiday as well. It's a time to remember - and remember well - that FREEDOM IS NOT FREE. We have several days a year where we commemorate our war heroes, but for some reason, few people get it through their heads what personal sacrifices must be made in the name of national freedom. In fact, from what I see on the news, a great number of people have absolutely no clue as to what FREEDOM is. So let's take a look at what is freedom as well as the American Pledge of Allegiance and see if we are really living up to the standard (haha, I make joke).
Dictionary.com has several definitions for freedom. First (and most abused in my opinion) is "the condition of being free of restraints." I say abused because I see examples, almost daily, of people who believe that "free of restraints" is synonymous with "free of laws." That they can do whatever they want to do, regardless of who it affects or how, just because they WANT to. People, THAT is not freedom. That is perverse selfishness. I think the better definition is "the capacity to exercise choice." The CAPACITY to exercise choice. Capacity meaning ability, to be able. We in this country are allowed to make personal choices. BUT, just because we're allowed to make choices DOES NOT EXEMPT US FROM SUFFERING CONSEQUENCES FROM MAKING THOSE CHOICES!!!
One of the laws of physics states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This holds true in sociology and psychology as well. If someone pushes, someone else is going to push back, usually harder. We're seeing this nightly on the news. A group of people pushed the U.S. hard on September 11, 2001. The U.S. pushed back and were initially successful. But now, people the U.S. really shouldn't have pushed are pushing back at us. These are the consequences of a choice made.
Was it the right choice? I don't know. Was it the wrong choice? I don't know. All I know is that it was A CHOICE. And nobody REALLY knows for sure if the figurehead made that choice. This country is not run by a single individual, but by a committee of men and women who supposedly know what we, as a country, need and make decisions accordingly. They pass these decisions onto the figurehead, our President, who gets the praise or tomatoes for those decisions.
Ok, I'm starting to rant here. Need to back down...
Let's move on to the Pledge. I'm going to break it down by word or phrase.
I - this indicates PERSONAL responsibility. You cannot speak for the guy standing next to you at the ball game.
Pledge - offer or guarantee by a solemn BINDING promise. A solemn oath.
Allegiance - Loyalty or the obligation of loyalty, as to a nation, sovereign, or cause. (Loyalty is synonymous with FIDELITY which is "faithfulness to OBLIGATIONS, duties, or observances."
to the flag of the United States of America - the flag being the best known symbol representing a region or individual ruler, the standard. In this case, a piece of clothe with 13 red and white stripes and an upper left-hand corner in blue with 50 white stars is the world wide representative that the United States of America is in the area. Not the United States of Brazil (as some debate nut tried to put past me some years ago), not the United States of Saudi Arabia, of AMERICA. 'nuff said.
and to the republic for which it stands - a political order whose head is not a monarch and in modern times is usually a president; a nation that has such a political order.
One nation - singular country. We may have 50 parts, but it is still ONE country. And whether or not we want to agree with it, what happens in New Jersey can effect what goes on Oregon, what happens in Montana can effect what goes on in Florida. It's like a car: a bunch of different parts working together to make the machine go in a given direction. If a part breaks down, it effects that WHOLE machine.
under God - I don't care what your religious preference happens to be, this nation was founded on belief of a higher being. The concept of separation of church and state was NEVER intended to get God out of our government, merely to get THE CHURCH out of our government. No one church should run the nation. But God is a BIG part of why the US is the way it is.
indivisible - consisting of a whole whose parts cannot be divided or treated individually. Again, we may be 50 states, but ONE NATION. When we react to a world event, it's as a NATION. The state of Texas cannot go to war with Mexico on it's own. Hopefully we'll never have to see that scenario again...
with Liberty - The right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing.
and Justice - The principle of moral rightness; equity.
for all - that means EVERYONE, regardless of RACE, CREED, SEX, ORIENTATION, FINANCIAL ABILITY, or MENTAL STATUS. EVERYONE.
So, America... Are we living up to our promise? Is there Liberty and Justice for ALL? Somehow, I don't think so. But we do the best with what we have, and strive to be better.
Then again, I could be a sentimental, naive can of haggis... Let me know.
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