07/05/2024
This is a long read, but it brought tears to my eyes. Seeing it in black-and-white print is very different than seeing it and feeling it. I hope you take a moment to read it… and I hope you all had a fabulous Fourth of July with those you love!
A 4th of July Wish for 2024
It is early morning, on July 4th, a day traditionally celebrated as our Independence Day. But today the sun rises upon a nation on the precipice of losing the freedoms that our forefathers fought valiently to secure in the Revolutionary war. As we contemplate the unimaginable, a President no longer constrained by the law, we find ourselves in unchartered waters and adrift in a sea of national anxiety, uncertainty and for many fear of what the future holds. While there will still be parades, picnics and barbecues, they will be held in the shadow of Project 2025, loss of women's reproductive rights, and the obliteration of the freedoms that this holiday has come to represent.
The question for all of us is whether after November 5th we will still be the " shining city on the hill" that President Reagan envisioned shining brightly as an example to the world of what democracy with both its flaws and great beauty could be.
If I could have one wish this July 4th it is that every American take some quiet time to look in the mirror and ask "what do I desire for myself, my children, my grandchildren, my loved ones"? To realize that every human being has but one life to live on this planet, and that life is sacred. To understand that we are all connected through our home, our communities and our country: The United States of America. And within that space of connection, each of us must decide decide whether as an American we truly honor the right of every American to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Is maintaining democracy for all Americans a value you hold dear or are you ready and willing to take those rights away from fellow Americans and put millions of Americans in harm's way.
The lives and well being of families, children, minorities, women, Jewish Americans, Senior Citizens, LGBTQ Americans, those who are poor, disabled or disadvantaged along with the ultimate health of our planet are all on the ballot and on the line on November 5th.
Today is a day not to celebrate freedom that is on shakey ground, but to make a choice whether you will be a part of keeping the light of Democracy and individual freedoms burning bright or whether you will choose to extinquish the hopes and dreams of our children and future generations for false narratives, your own power, greed or dislike of " the other".
And as you reflect upon your choice, imagine a day in the future when for better or worse each of us will have to answer to a child who asks what you chose to do when their future was in your hands.
If we each take a moment to commit to the Independence fought for not just on 1776 but by every soldier and activist who has sacrified their life for love of country, each of us has the opportunity to breathe life into our shining city on the hill and know that we have preserved what is the best on all of us for our loved ones, our American family and the world.
I hope today is a good one for my family, friends and all of my fellow Americans spent in fun, reflection, peace, and goodwill.
