Happy 4th

It is my sincere hope and prayer that today ... on the day set aside for the celebration of the brith of this nation, that we can set aside our dissatisfactions, our politics, our grumbling long enough to appreciate the freedoms we DO have.  No, America is not perfect.  Never has been, and never will be. 

Admittedly, I have a difficult time reading and hearing the continual blast from the multitude of sources these days about how corrupt and stupid and criminal our government has become, but let me remind us ... WE put them there.  That said ... this is NOT about politics!

As I wrote back on Memorial Day, and also a month prior, this is OUR country.  If there's something about it we're dissatisfied with, it's up to us to try to DO something to change it.  An occasional rant or gripe is certainly warrented, but exactly what is accomplished by continual negative drizzle?  Very little, as I see it. 

You see ... it's not about Republicans or Democrats or Libertarians or the Green Party ... or Donald Duck.  It's about simply, but earnestly caring ... Caring about people, caring about other people, caring about right v wrong.  Caring about life v death.  Caring about the BIG picture, instead of just ourselves.  Caring about those who live next door!  Caring about the direction the nation is headed and willing to play an active role.

Sadly, as the primary polls indicate, most Americans just don't care enough to show up.  We'd rather be dependent on the government that exercise our independence on election day!  There is time.  Get informed ... preferably by MORE than one source.  Being the eternal optomist, I am confident we can nurture the US community back to a place of community ... not necessarily agreeing on everything (since that will NEVER happen) but learning to respect the beliefs and opinions of others.  Bullying and name-calling is for 6 yr olds, not adults.  Adults are supposed to be able to discuss rationally even from opposing viewpoints.  When is hatred tolerable?  NEVER!!!  So the hatred between left and right, the hatred between races, the hatred between neighborhoods, nations, faiths, tribes ... is a juvenile response.  It's way past time we GROW UP, America, we can't be toddlers forever! 

... One nation under God (your God and / or mine!)