“When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…”
These wonderful words, the first of the Declaration of Independence, bear repeating everyday. On Sunday, July 4, as we celebrate the nation’s 234th birthday, they become a clarion call, speaking to the ideals which we hold dear, and which would cease to matter, or even exist, if we lived anywhere else.
The United States of America is the world’s leading nation, despite its young age, because it continues to be a magnet for people everywhere, who negotiate miles of bureaucratic tape, or cross borders in secret, to become a part of its vibrant, thriving, infectious fabric.
For those of us who came here for a better life, and found it — in awesome Brooklyn, no less — Independence Day is the anniversary of our rebirth. It marks our induction into the best society the planet has ever known and one which, even its critics cannot deny, sets the standard in excellence.
As the globe’s foremost gladiator and Good Samaritan, the U.S. leads and feeds the earth’s oppressed masses, promotes democracy and exposes corrupt regimes, sometimes even going to war with them.
Most of all, as chief of the Free World, this nation leads by example. That task is a tall one as America navigates the dire straits of foreign policy in 2010 with countries ensconced in the Dark Ages, and others which have been around too long, done too little, and now are part of the problem instead of the solution.
A teen prodigy among doddering dinosaurs, the United States stands head and shoulders above its international peers largely because of its main asset: the American people.
Generations of working stiffs and entrepreneurs have contributed to her greatness. And, courageous and dedicated men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces continue to surrender their lives to keep her unprecedented freedoms intact. The United States serves as a beacon of hope for persecuted people everywhere who know, instinctively, that here lies the key to unlock their chains, and the salve to heal their wounds.
Blessed with a remarkable Constitution, which protects the individual over the masses, and unhampered by soul-numbing laws and regulations, trail-blazing Americans have pioneered most of mankind’s greatest projects and technologies, keeping the United States on the forefront of today, and on the cutting edge of tomorrow.
On Sunday, in between the barbecues and sales, give thanks for being part of the best country that history has ever known by shouting your love for Lady Liberty from the rooftops — until you’re red, white and blue in the face. She’s worth the effort, because she’s one heck of a gal!Sabruzzo@cnglocal.com
