AMERICA

I was watching Fourth of July celebrations today.

We are a nation of diversity. There are Americans of many colors and from many cultures.

But are we a nation any more? What holds us together? It's not an unreasonable question. Our political system and our national discourse are deeply divided in a way not seen in decades.

America is a special place. A nation of immigrants, descended from those who were not content to stay close to home. A nation of survivors, who endured hardship and oppression and emerged with a hunger for freedom and independence.

But these days we seem to be a nation that is splintered and divided. There are daily echoes of our terrible Civil War. Southern whites are screaming. Southern governors are talking about secession.

All we can hope for is that the greatness of the ideas upon which our nation was founded will prevail, that the center will hold.

We believe that all people are created equal, with inalienable human rights.

We believe our government has been created to serve us, and derives any legitimate powers from our consent.

On this day of national celebration let us resolve to honor and defend those ideals.

We are Americans, and we believe in human rights and human dignity.

We are Americans, and we believe in vigorous, open, honest debates about our future.

We are Americans, and we believe that government officials should work for us and not for private, corporate interests.

Each generation of Americans has faced challenges to these ideals and to our nation's survival. Our own generation faces dangerous enemies, enemies from within. They are willing to sacrifice our national interests to those of their corporate cronies. They dismantled SALT agreements to enable pork barrel Star Wars spending. They sent our troops into harm's way, and followed them with thousands of six-figure contractors and no-bid contracts. They have violated our laws and treaties with open contempt.

Whether America survives depends, as always, on whether this generation measures up.

At least we should try. At least we should try to keep the ideals of America alive.