If you read my personal Facebook page you’ll know that I’m not exactly happy with the current resident-in-chief at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But you know what? I’m happy to be an American just the same. I get to voice my opposition freely, and loudly, and frequently. No one as yet has come pounding on my door.
Yesterday Jim and I helped out at a big community/church event for which the neighborhood was invited for games,
bouncy houses, snow cones, cotton candy, face painting, and food. (Snow cones and cotton candy aren’t food.) I was in charge of a rather boring game which I got only a few people to play, but no matter. It was out in the middle of the sunny church lawn, and I can’t stand being out in the sun for very long. I had a good time anyway talking to people who’d come. At around 10:30 there was a parade, with tons of kids riding their decorated bikes or tricycles and even a few skateboarders. It was unbelievably cute. There were little American flags everywhere and a real sense of fellowship. The event was a huge success both in attendance and in atmosphere.
I’m sure there are French people who feel the vin rouge singing in their veins on Bastille Day, and British people who stiffen their upper lips on . . . whatever day they celebrate as a patriotic holiday. I’m not sure what that is. Magna Carta Day, perhaps? Anyway, my son says that pride in one’s country makes no sense, since for the most part people don’t choose their country. But if you carry that thought too far you won’t be able to take pride in anything that you didn’t do entirely by yourself. Which would be . . . nothing. I’m very, very proud of my son and his accomplishments, even though I can’t really take any credit for them. I’m very pleased to be a part of my wonderful family, whether it’s the one into which I was born or the one into which I married, but I had nothing to do with creating the history of either one. And I’m happy and proud to say that I’m an American, even though my citizenship is by birth and therefore out of my control. I am proud of our Constitution and our laws. I am proud of our record of freedom and of openness. There will come a day, a sad one, when America is no more, as is true of all nations. Modern France is not Gaul; modern Greece is not a collection of city-states. The China that was ruled by emperors is not the same as the China that today is ruled as a Communist state. Italy is not the Roman Empire. And so it goes, on through the ages.
But yesterday was a good reminder of the blessings of the present, a pause in the tumult. Who knows what the political opinions were of that very diverse crowd? Who cares? We were united for a day. It was fun. We will hope that some of that good will stays with the attendees if they read mean-spirited Facebook posts or forwarded e-mails, or listen to shouty talk-show hosts. Maybe they’ll recoil. I hope so!