July 04, 2008
Happy Birthday, America
"As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free."
I can scarcely begin to express the gratitude that I feel for the fact that I live in this country, a nation born out of the simple idea that people should be free. In most nations of the world, I suspect I would've long ago been hauled off to the gulag for saying what I think without sufficient regard for the consequences. In this country, I mostly just get hit with furniture and disinvited to parties.
The United States of America is not just the richest or the most powerful nation in the history of the world, although it is certainly both. United States of America is also the best nation in the history of the world. This is, indeed, the shining city on a hill. We cherish our freedom, and yet Americans have, at so many crucial times, been willing to give up their own individual freedom, their own blood and treasure, and many times their lives, to bring freedom to others around the globe. We did this even for the French, though we knew that they'd only resent us for it. We live in a time, now, that totalitarianism is again on the march around the globe. Torches of freedom that once burned brightly are down to glowing embers. Allies who once stood fast for liberty now waver, or are long gone. Yet through it all, our nation stands firm.
This country is not perfect, but it is closer to perfect than any other. Compared to the rest of this world, the United States of America is a nation of angels. If you are a citizen of this country, you have every right in the world to be proud of what this country stands for. At the same time, the vast majority of us who have done little, if anything, to deserve this precious freedom we enjoy should never fail to be humbled by that fact.
UPDATE : Below the fold, I've posted another video, featuring battle footage set to the Battle Hymn.
By Ragnar Danneskjold, Typical Bitter Gun-Clinger at July 4, 2008 12:01 PM | | l digg this
