Here’s To Rebels and Malcontents

That’s who our Founding Fathers were, you know. And they had the uncommon courage to rise up against, at the time, the most powerful nation on Earth.

And they won.

The 231 years since has seen the Founding Fathers’ noble experiment in self determination nearly destroy itself in civil war, begin its ascendancy in one world war and literally change the face of civilization in another.

Along the way, we have become a beacon for the rest of the world, in things both good and bad.

We have become the poster nation for shallowness, self-absorption and obsession with material wealth. Much of the world considers us morally bankrupt.

We also possess a generosity of spirit like no other people. No other nation gives so freely of its resources, yet flagellates itself so mercilessly for not doing more. The only other superpower built walls to keep its people in, and now America is considering walls of its own to keep people out.

And I wonder if that’s a good thing.

One thing I do know, with each passing Independence Day, we sacrifice a few more of the ideals upon which this nation was founded. We lose a little more freedom every day, and often for the best of intentions.

And it seems that the only people protesting our slide into irrelevance are viewed as…

…rebels and malcontents.

Personally, I think we just need more of them.