I grew up in a patriotic family. My dad, during my childhood, was conservative and my mom was liberal. My dad was in the Army reserves and my mom listened to Peter, Paul and Mary. I was rocked to sleep by my dad to soothing lullabies, like "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "You're a Grand Old Flag." It brings a smile to my face, to tell you the truth. And, as a ten/eleven year old kid, I remember on many occasions. sitting at the dinner table, debating with my dad about nuclear capability. He was pro, I was con. When we visited Williamsburg on a family vacation, my sister recalls him provding a dramatic recitation of the Patrick Henry speech, "give me liberty, or give me death!" at one of the historic buildings.
Like many of us today, I remember the deep grief, dismay and fear I felt on September 11, 2001. I remember both my disappointment in aspects of mankind and my awe at the courage of our firefighters and other first responders.
So today, with our country, I remember and honor those who died on September 11 and those who lost loved ones.
I also honor what I believe is the hope of our country; the imagining, the vision of the Founding Fathers that says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Because I grew up with this sense of history and duty to country, I've thought about the idea of "Give me liberty or give me death!" over the years - about the assumption and belief that certain things are worth dying for. It's not something to be said lightly. It's a mentality that can go awfully wrong. After September 11, 2001, we heard a lot about our 'enemies' who wanted to take away our freedom and destroy our American way of life. But, as we all have, I've witnessed some freedoms taken away by our own government, and I've seen our government act in some ways that our incongruent with the values that I thought we were supposed to stand for.
Still, when I really think about it, I am patriotic, even today. I am patriotic today, and it is in large part because of the ideas that our country was built on. I appreciate and celebrate and I do not for one second take for granted the freedom to write this very blog and express both my love of my country and also my ambivalance about some of our policies and leaders. I am patriotic today, and it is because I can utilize my freedom to imagine and speak of alternatives. So much has been made about threats to our American way of life. Yet, I wonder, what would our American way of life look like if the trillions of dollars we'd spent on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had been spent, yes, on homeland security, but also on jobs, improving infrastructure, scientific research, education, improving conditions and opportunities in our poorer neighborhoods?
As I've been writing this blog, I've been thinking in particular about two words: liberty and mercy. Both imply choice in important ways, and both imply privilege. Liberty implies the power to choose among alternatives. Mercy is defined by "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm." (The New Oxford American Dictionary).
When we feel downtrodden or unlucky or discouraged, we must admit to ourselves the truth. We are still from a nation of great privilege. This should not be damning, but it is a great responsibility. It is a responsibility to envision a future and articulate it. By the way we live our lives, conduct our business, govern our people, and wield what power we have, may the people of the United States and its leaders promote liberty and act with mercy for and toward all people and every nation.
Well said.
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