Our nation, as you cannot help but know, is in the midst of celebrating the anniversary of its founding, which was 250 years ago. We’ve been seeing reminders of this milestone everywhere: Red, white and blue signs, decorations and streamers.
I love my country. I love the values on which we built this great experiment in democracy. “The land of the free and the home of the brave”— what greater values could we cherish, what greater mission could we have than to be such a place; what greater legacy could we leave as our imprint on the world?
The United States of America is great in size, certainly, but also big-hearted, a place with room for big dreams and larger-than-life ambitions. America represents much of the very best of which human beings are capable. What we as a nation have accomplished in our country’s short existence is truly amazing.
But sometimes, when I see the flags, the patriotic slogans, the “America First” or “America’s the best” or “God bless America” sentiments, I feel uneasy. It’s not that I don’t share the pride in our accomplishments, in the unquenchable spirit that is uniquely ours; I certainly do. But we have a lot of growing to do, in my opinion, before we will achieve true greatness.
Whenever I see a “God bless America” slogan, my heart adds three words: “and everyone else.” I pray that all nations, and all people everywhere, be blessed, not just our own. And I don’t want my country to be considered first, before all others. Greatness requires us to stand in harmony with the rest of the world, not above it.
A few months ago, at a women’s basketball game at Kent State, I rose along with everyone else, to sing our national anthem. But I could not sing. Tears filled my eyes, not from a sense of pride, but from feelings of grief at the current state of our country.
I know many will not agree with me, but I believe our country has lost its way. We used to be able to listen to one another, to honor opinions other than our own, even when we didn’t agree. Politicians used to be able to form alliances and even friendships, with those sitting across the aisle. Our leaders would work hard to find unity, not deliberately sow the seeds of dissension.
Thanks to social media, we are urged to get mad, to get even. We no longer agree on basic facts. We don’t have to–because the internet provides lies from which we adopt attitudes that feel comfortable to us, that we choose to regard as facts–without researching to determine what is and isn’t actually true. Thus, we narrow our lives down to little worlds where we interact only with like-minded people.
We see a rise in nationalism, which world history teaches us is a dangerous tipping point. We are warehousing human beings, who are held without due process. We are vilifying various religious beliefs; various groups of people. Dividing, not gathering together. Now, more than ever, we are a nation of “haves” and “have nots.” We allow billionaires to run our country; we watch, unmoved, as they gut the middle class and destroy the lives of the poor and disenfranchised people of our great nation.
Every day of my life, I celebrate the grand diversity of our country. Its forests, fields, lakes and streams, its mountains and valleys, its Native culture, its myriad races and faces and places. We have come far–so very far–in our comparatively short history. But now, we’ve come to a point of crisis: we must find ways to heal our country, to join together, not only with each other, but with the nations and peoples of the whole world. To have lasting peace, not to mention to save the very planet we live on, we must become leaders in creating world peace.
If I could, I would collect hundreds of tiny flags, representing all the nations of the Earth, and place them in my front yard. The American flag would be in a place of prominence, but the largest flag of all would be one bearing the image of a dove and the message, “Peace to all.”
Most people in this country are kind, caring and generous. Many still love and support their neighbors. In their hearts and in their actions, the hope for true freedom, true unity, and true greatness resides. Yes, on our 250th anniversary and always, God Bless America. And everyone else.
Kathy Baker
Kathy Baker is a writer and speaker, a messenger of encouragement who loves to touch hearts and tickle souls with her work. She is the author of “Leaving Adversity Plaza,” and “A Tale of Three Choices: His, Hers, Mine.” She loves hearing from her readers and can be reached at kathybakerwrites@gmail.com.