We are having a patriotic service at our church this Sunday and the words to one of the songs we are singing made me do a little thinking.
We take America for granted because it's all we've ever known. And then there’s the language difference. So many words have taken on new meanings since 1776. This makes it hard for us to truly understand what our forefathers went through or even what they had in mind for this country.
As an example, for us to have an understanding of the intended UNION we would need to think of our country's name as the United Countries of America because the word State doesn't have the same meaning today as it did back then.
Here are some of the words to one of the songs we will be singing that caused me to begin thinking about the uncertainties of this great Union. We take America for granted because it worked and that's all we know, but what about them? They didn't know it would work - that had to be more than a little scary.
The title of the song is "We hold these truths" by Phil Mehrens & Steve Marshall
"When they signed the Declaration, They knew it would cost them everything.
They pledged their lives and fortunes To give to us the things that they believed.
They stood for truth and justice, Life and liberty.
When they made the choice to follow, They didn't understand where it would lead."
I don't guess I had ever really thought of what it must have been like to be one of them. I always thought it was so obvious it would work there was little to no risk. Well, except for that pesky little war, but it was always obvious (to me) they would win. The song’s words made me realize that if you were them you really did put it all on the line.
Would you have been willing to give up your house, your home, your family, your friends, all your belongings, risk being put in jail for the rest of your life, possibly having to live on the run for the rest of your life or even be killed for a concept? There were no guarantees. Nothing like this had ever been done.
Have you ever in your life had to make that kind of a choice? Can you even envision having to make such a choice?
Patriotism isn't limited to the military. There are many ways to be a patriot. Supporting the country itself is one way. Holding the country up to the world at large as a positive entity and worth emulating is another. I'm not talking politics here, I'm talking the concept of a country like ours vs. other governmental forms. The ability to live free and do as you please isn't a given worldwide.
Here's something that always seems strange to me. You seem to hear almost every ethnic group in America bragging about their pride, but never do you hear them saying out loud that they are also proud to be an American. "Ohhhhh, I can't say that because people in the Middle East, France, you name it, don't like us and that would make me insensitive to their feelings."
WOW! You'd put the feelings of someone you don't know and whom you'll never meet, who lives in another country and doesn't even like you or your country, ahead of all the people you do know and the country you live in which has given you a good life? Political Correctness has gone way too far.
Answer me this, how come it's OK for them to be proud of their country but you have to be ashamed of yours? Is it because we have more than them? How'd that happen? Could it have been the way our country was formed and the principles it was founded upon? Could it have been the rights our citizens had? Could it be that we worked for it? Be proud of what we’ve got and accomplished, not ashamed. If nothing else it shows America works!
Now let’s look closer to home. It seems to be OK to be proud you're Black, Irish, Mexican, White, Chinese, etc., but you can't be proud to be an American? To me that's unpatriotic!
Why are you here in this country if not for the fact that things were better here than back home? That holds true for all of you people whose ancestors came over on the Mayflower as well. Why didn't any of your ancestors or you move to another country? You could you know. So why did you and they stay? Isn't that worth being proud of and bragging about sometimes?
If you're Black then Black is beautiful. But White is beautiful too. And so is every other color of skin No one is, or should be, more proud of your heritage than you. You have a lot to be proud of. Be proud of your parents, your kids, your church, your school, your job, your city, your race, your upbringing, your Country!
So many of the public figures seem to think it makes them politically correct to cut down America and all we stand for. They think it makes them seem enlightened and a person of the world, but it doesn't, it makes them seem ungrateful and a turncoat or maybe even a traitor.
Harsh words? What is a traitor? Someone who sells state secrets or actively works for a foreign country so that they can overthrow our government? When we think of traitors we think Benedict Arnold, but there are many levels of committing a traitorous act short of actively working for a foreign government.
Here are some definitions of traitor I found on the web. 1) acts of betrayal of one's sovereign or nation. 2) One who betrays one's country, a cause, or a trust. 3) Disloyal 4) or one who aids an enemy in conquering his country. 5) one who betrays any confidence or trust; a betrayer. 6) one who betrays another's trust or is false to an obligation or duty
Are you seeing a trend here? Aren’t the anti-American statements so many of them make to the media betraying one’s country or betraying the confidence & trust of the country. Don’t they give the press in these other countries ammunition to make us out as the Great Satan? No one in their countries would dare say a bad word about their country. It’s not just that it would be against the law, it’s that they are proud of their country and they think it’s the best in the world. What do you think?
Do you really stand for America? Or do you really stand for anything except yourself? The fact that you can be selfish is one of those rights they gave us. Don't abuse it.
