A Requiem for the America I used to know, or a bugle call for a new day?
For 250 years we have been a free nation. The 4th of July has passed as I write this, and as you read this. This is a mile-stone, a marker, and a moment. I can’t just let it slip by and not add my thoughts to it, with my own perspective.
This particular 4th of July, in 2026, saw some parts of the country get hit by some serious storms. Where I live in the Hudson Valley of New York was particularly hit hard. For a time in the aftermath of the storm, cell service was spotty or just not working at all. I was quickly aware of how much I refer to my phone for weather, to look things up, or communicate in some fashion. But all of that was cut off. I had no service and no signal.
That got me thinking. Have we, in America, gotten different signals? As in, where do we get our views of America? Some of it was in school, of course. Some of it is just life here in this country. There are many ideals that are just “there”, that we take for granted. We all know the phrase” It’s a free country…” It is often said sarcastically when we do not like the choices another person is making! But in that freedom, we choose to listen to others. What can happen sometimes, I think, is we start only listening to our own “tribe”, or our kind of people. Growing up Christian, I was of course, taught a world view. I was taught America was a “Christian Nation”, and “liberal” ideology was to be opposed and refuted. Furthermore, “liberals” were determined to take away my freedom to worship and “follow God”, or so I was told.
Was any of this true? Were “Liberals” the enemy? No, I think not. As I have gotten older, I am seeing Jesus as much more liberal and conservative at the same time. But neither views are as we think of them now! My “signal” was to be opposed to what was seen as unbiblical and untrue. But the danger here is that it creates an “us versus them” mentality. I have written before about how “christian” our Founders really were, and I know that is seen as sacrilegious by some. But we have to be honest about our imperfections here in America!
Our Declaration said “All men are created equal…” But those Founders didn’t seem to mean black men, and they certainly weren’t talking about women. It would take wars, mass political movements, and Supreme Court rulings to make these changes, in order to move us to a “more perfect union”. My point is, it was a process. And it is not done yet–not by a long shot.
We the People had to make the changes, and we can make the wrong choices.
Now we stand at a crossroad of division, divisiveness, and vitriol. We have been here before, and we can be here as many more times as we like, as a country. What will we choose?
If you have read this blog from the beginning, and if you haven’t, go back and read some of the earlier writings under the Archives Page. If you have read this blog at all, you know I will say that I choose love. I have probably moved a lot to the Left as I have gotten older, and that is the result of many factors, but part of it is that I have come to agree with Father Richard Rohr in his notion of non-dualism. The wonderful book of many of his ideas, “Yes, And…” often comes to this point. Why must we always embrace either/or thinking? This person is “right” or they are “wrong”, but are they? Yes, I do believe in objective, fundamental Right and Wrong, but most people are not purely one or the other.
I recall a day when our politics were points of discussion, and even of heated debate. But we voted, we respected that process, and we moved on. Now, a vote is “rigged”, and the “other” party is the tool of the Devil, or communist, or Nazi, or whatever mud we want to throw at each other.
Jesus himself said: “A house divided against itself can not stand…” (Matthew’s Gospel, 12:25). Too many of us think that if we could “get rid of the Libs”, or dial-down the Christians, all would be well. If we could just get the “foreigners” out, or if we could just get the Bible back in the schools, on and on. Too many of us are oddly fixated on the ancient Hebrew Laws, but forget that those same laws were not adhered to by those same ancient people. If the people who had the Ten Commandments given to them with fire and smoke could not obey them, why do we think that displaying them on a wall will magically cause moral change? (I am not saying that these foundational laws should not be displayed somewhere.) But it seems to have been forgotten that Jesus summarized the “Law” as follows:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew’s Gospel, 22:37-40.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
That means to love the MAGA following, Trump loving, flag waving, staunch Republican as yourself.
It means to love that uber-liberal Socialist Democrat, who might even be Muslim, as yourself.
It means to love that gay person, or transgender person, as yourself.
It means to love that less educated person as yourself.
It means to love that person with multiple degrees, as yourself.
It means to love that Black/Brown/Latino/Asian Foreigner as yourself.
It means to love that Evangelical Christian as yourself.
It means to love that Atheist, who needs make fun of religion at every turn, as yourself.
It means to love women, not as sex objects to be objectified, used, and discarded, but as yourself.
It means to love children that drive you crazy, and are inconvenient, as yourself.
It means to love people in far away lands, with different ideals, religions, and that frankly hate you, as yourself.
Did I get everyone? Offend anyone? I’m not trying to be offensive, but instead make a point. I know it gets hard to just “be loving” in all of these situations. Many of these issues have complex histories, and involved political and social ramifications. But you know what? We need to grow up in America! We keep saying we are “the greatest country on the face of the Earth”. Why don’t we try acting like it in how we treat each other?
True greatness doesn’t need to announce itself, but should instead give of itself.
Instead of being known often for arrogance and interference internationally, for sometimes good reasons and sometimes made-up reasons, why don’t we Americans be known far more for our kindness? We are a “melting pot” in the USA, right? Why don’t we use those differences to be stronger, united, and better? We put men, and soon women, on the Moon, so we can pull off technical achievements. We defeated tyrants far from our shores. We not only freed our slaves, but put a black man into the Highest Office of the Land. We can do great things, together.
We were told by one of our leaders, we would get “tired of winning”, whatever that was. A lot of people are not winning, here and abroad. For many of those who have power, they either shrink from using it for good, or use it to better themselves, and those they think are like them. When people see the American flag, are they filled with pride, or concern? I feel both. Pride for what we have done collectively, but deep concern about how we go about it. From the sci-fi flick Ender’s Game: “The way we win matters”. Yes, it does.
Turning off foreign aid without looking at it carefully is not the right way to “win”.
Ramming Christianity down people’s throats, making fun of them if they don’t believe, is not the right way to “win”.
Making fun of religious people is not how we “win” either.
Attacking and vilifying each other is not how we “win”.
We win when we work together. When we listen. When we are open. When we stop talking long enough to hear another perspective. We can not expect politicians to magically fix us. Only God can do that, and along with some hard work on our part.
Former President Ronald Regan once said: “It is morning in America…” I chose a nighttime picture for this week’s post, and I feel like it is night right now in America, at least night for a lot of people. But “morning” isn’t to have a Democrat in the White House, or another Republican. Morning is to see past the politics, the arguments, the conspiracy theories, the guns, the election legitimacy questions, and see each other. What do we all want? Our Founders said it: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
But we must choose, each of us, to use our freedom for the good of all.
Why don’t we extend a hand and help the other person” win” with us? No, I do not mean to do away with Capitalism, or have no Sports teams. But why not put a little more effort into benefiting others?My God, can we just try to be nicer when we drive??
Making America great is not one Party triumphing over another, nor is it the rich trampling on the poor, or Christians running everything. America is great when we work together, build together, and love one another. Yes, we don’t have to all agree, but being “American” is to be better, and to do better, at being human.
Let freedom ring! As I said before: Use your freedom to benefit others, to love your neighbor as yourself. Think what we could really be if we thought that way, even just a little bit more.
Then it can be a new morning, in America. And it really will be great.
-Eric, the Wordsmith
BP42
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