What is there to celebrate right now?
Who are we? Has America always been someone’s pipe dream? There’s been a lot of blood spilled in the name of “freedom and democracy” and protecting some way of life. But I’ve been wondering lately if the “new birth of freedom” of which Lincoln spoke died with him.
Most leaders do their best to offer inspiration and hope and reality checks when necessary. Donald Trump is not a leader, so he can’t be expected to rise to even the minimum expectations of someone in his position. He’d rather talk about a ballroom or an arch or spend a ridiculous amount of time pontificating on the spelling of “dumb.”
I know what I’d like to celebrate, and it has nothing to do with power trips and reflecting ponds and constant ego stroking. It has much more to do with the fits and starts that have contributed along the way to this elusive “more perfect union” of which so many speak. It has to do with believing in the idea of a place where everyone is seen and heard and valued– even if such a place may remain more a figment of our imagination than reality.
Here’s to our imperfect founding fathers and mothers, who cast a worthy vision and gave us a framework. Here’s to all who are putting in the effort to offer something different and better to the tired and poor and everyone else.
3 Cents' 