By T. R. Shaw Jr.
I admit it, I’m a Fourth of July
junkie. Independence Day is unabashedly
my favorite holiday for a number of reasons.
I’m a flag waving patriot and
cherish seeing the red, white and blue.
Fourth of July is a long day of parades, festivities, food, fun, friends
and fireworks! The holiday falls just
after Summer Solstice and is still one of the longest astronomical days of the
year. It’s usually hot and spent close
to water and you don’t have to buy people gifts! As
I’ve always said, it makes all the other holiday’s in our great nation possible.
This year, the United States will
celebrate 241 years as the world’s longest standing experiment in freedom and
democracy. Like any anniversary, we
can’t look back and say they’ve all been good years. Our nation has endured many challenges, but
still it’s the place the world wants to come.
When I was in the U.S. Navy, I
served in NATO. I had the opportunity to
see America through other’s eyes. I
learned we as American’s know little of Canada, our neighbor to the North, or
much about the culture and history of many of our allies. That’s one of the unintended traits makes the
rest of the world and our NATO allies consider us “arrogant.” Most of the world sees us as “American
Exceptionalists.” I’ve never been sure
if that’s good or bad?
Incidentally,
this year July 1 will mark Canada’s 150th Independence Day or
“Dominion Day.” Congratulations to our
Canadian friends! How many of you just
now learned this? Once, a Canadian
officer confided in me that “Deep down
Canadians are still not exactly sure what we are yet. We do know we are not Americans. Our national identity still eludes us,”
he told me.
The NATO command at Norfolk where I
served, recognized every member’s nation National Day. The National Day started with the celebrating
nation’s flag raising and anthem, followed by music, short speeches, and a
great reception of national food. The
rest of the day was pretty much “holiday routine” something Europeans are very
savvy at observing.
On or around July 1, NATO would
observe a combined Canadian Dominion and U.S. Independence Day because it was
the start of a long holiday break where most people took summer leave. It also gets unbearably hot in Norfolk in
July.
Recently, I thought about our
Centennial in 1876 and what a party that was.
In researching it, huge events took place in every city and hamlet in the
nation. Fireworks were everywhere, in
fact one article I read stated that thousands died on July 4, 1876 in fireworks
related accidents. Sort of a sad take on
a glorious event.
Although it was one big party,
America was still at war in the West.
Only a week earlier, on June 25, 1876, Custer and the 7th Calvary
was decimated by the Sioux and Cheyenne at the Little Bighorn in Montana. Native Americans were fighting for their
independence and President Grant was rebuilding the nation after a bitter Civil
War. America was still not completely
the “Land of the Free.”
Throughout
our history we’ve fought many wars. We
are presently still engaged in a Global War on Terrorism. The point is, we’ve never really been a
nation at peace on our greatest holiday.
As we celebrate freedom from oppression, oppression still exists in much
of the world today.
Nothing
speaks to oppression more than our Declaration of Independence. If you haven’t read it since high school, I
urge you to seriously study it.
The
object of the Declaration of Independence, as Thomas Jefferson expressed to
Henry Lee was, ”To place before mankind
the common sense of the subject; in terms so plain and firm as to command their
assent.” It was intended to be an
expression of the American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone
and spirit called for by the occasion.
So,
as we celebrate and wave the flag this holiday, let us not forget we are a
nation borne of conflict and in perpetual conflict we remain. True independence has yet to be realized,
although America still is that “Shining City on the Hill” where freedom is the
goal and tyranny ostracized. We are
still the best hope for all Mankind and we must never forget our role in the
world as peacemakers and liberators. We
are not oppressors. We must continue to
stand up to every form of evil and treachery in the world today.
I’m proud to be an American, but with that pride comes a
great deal of responsibility to lead the world and to do what’s right for the
future of all mankind. On this Independence Day let us cherish the freedom so
many have fought and died for. Let us
continue to be the beacon of hope in an uncertain and brutal world. Let us remember our responsiblies that come
with American Exceptionalism!
T. R. Shaw Jr.
is CEO of Shaw Communication in Battle Creek, Michigan. He is a retired U.S. Navy public affairs
officer. He blogs at The Reluctant
R(L)eader, www.read-mor.blogspot.com.
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