Monument at Valley Forge
"I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free."
We sing these songs with a feeling of love of country and shared images. For 250 years, Americans have projected a deep belief in liberty — in our voices, in our choices, and in the stories we tell about ourselves. Sometimes our voices led us to act decisively in support of others and sometimes we chose quiet sympathy — perhaps even empathy — for their aspirations of freedom.
Our first opportunity was the French Revolution. We were deeply torn here, because they - like us were throwing off the shackles of a monarchy - a quest for liberty. However, that very monarchy had been a linchpin to our own success in achieving independence. We were torn between our ideals and political realities.
Throughout our history we have had to make those choices. We intervened in Cuba in 1898 helping to free it from Spanish rule. A few years later we supported Panama's separation from Colombia allowing a new nation to emerge. And we fought in Western Europe defending the sovereignty (or independence) of several countries whose freedom was threatened. At other times our support for liberty has been muted or tempered by political realities, as in Africa, in India, and even in Ukraine. Not a perfect record - but our own cry for independence and quest of liberty has historically emboldened many a patriot, rebel, and martyr - such that many nations can say, like us "at least I know I'm free."
We've bled, we've died, we've sung, we've prayed, we've cried carrying with us these words: independence, freedom, and liberty as our banners of the same hope. And yet, each carries its own weight, its own promise, and its own reward.
In the Declaration of the Independence - we stated clearly so all the world would know and hear that we no longer recognized England's authority over us. We declared our God Ordained sovereignty.
Our declaration said that all men are "endowed by their Creator ... with Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." And so, along with independence we sought liberty. Our rights to make our own rules and decide for ourselves what is best for us. In days leading up to the American Revolution "Sons of Liberty" gathered, when not in Taverns, around Liberty Trees and Liberty Poles. Our Constitution was designed to, among other things, secure our Blessings of Liberty.
Since England disagreed with our declaration we had to continue to fight for our independence. After seven years - at the Treaty of Paris, our fight led to freedom from England's rule and the liberty to choose our manner of governing ourselves. Almost seven years after thirteen colonies in the Americas had won their independence, they used their new liberties to become codependent upon one another.
Independence comes at a price. It requires self-discipline to set and abide by your own boundaries. It requires enforcing those boundaries on ourselves and on those who would steal our independence.
Freedom imagines no boundaries. With freedom in our hearts, we feel a utopic hope. Yet, the freedom of one invariably conflicts with the happiness of another. And so, it is not freedom but liberty that we must pursue.
Liberty for a nation exists in that time and space where its people desire freedom and work to assure it is available in abundance for everyone. Liberty is shared with grace.
"...one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."
Happy Independence Day - celebrating 250 years since we declared it.
AFTERWARD: Most of my blogs have included many links and almost always a reference to some genealogical connection. Today's blog didn't lend itself to that directly. However, so that I don't neglect a connection to genealogy - I will share a link to a young man (in 1776, anyway), Phineas Stephens, who seemingly was directly affected by the Declaration of Independence. Before Washington camped in his community of Valley Forge, he was awarded not only National but personal liberty. Abijah Stephens, who once restricted Phineas' freedom and later established his legal freedom was one of my great grandfathers.
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