This month marks another anniversary of the founding of America. Since July 4, 1776 the nation has stood and remains firm upon the foundation of its founders. This foundation is cherished by those who understand that freedom is not free: it has cost much of many Americans ever since the beginning. Justice, liberty, and freedom, gifts from God alone and tenants we hold dear, have been threatened often with wars, depressions, recessions, protests, pandemics, lies, misappropriations of funds, government over-reach, lack of respect for law, and socialism, to name only some.
America remains. It forever will. It was Lincoln who, in his Gettysburg Address delivered November 19, 1863, said this oft-quoted phrase: “…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
America has survived not strictly because of intestinal fortitude, although many have exercised strength and invested and sacrificed life itself to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Our true source of freedom is God, alone; the founders recognized this truth. In the Declaration of Independence they agreed: “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 pursuit of Happiness.” This is an enduring kind of happiness (not necessarily driven by, or as a result of, emotional contentment, though emotional contentment can be a result of Life and Liberty). This happiness is far deeper and includes sincere and heart-felt gratitude for what many of our predecessors have risk and paid that ours and future generations might dwell within, and enjoy the God-given truths upon which the nation was founded.
We live in a nation which treasures freedoms of speech, worship, and assembly—these freedoms should never be taken for granted, nor shall these freedoms be impinged.
Thank an active-duty military service person, a veteran, a first responder, and those who treasure life and give much to sustain it, to preserve the “last best hope of earth.”