Happy 250th Birthday, America!

Fifty years ago, I was a young boy who heard about our nation’s upcoming bicentennial celebration.  I imagined what it must have been like 200 years ago back in 1776, and how wonderful it was that the United States was the greatest country ever founded and I got the blessing and privilege to be born here, to be a citizen, and to experience freedom unlike most anywhere else in the world.  

Now, we are barreling toward our nation’s semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation.  Semi (half) quin (five) centennial (one hundred), or (half of five hundred, or 250). Now you know. 

The United States is considered the oldest democracy in the world.  Founded in 1776, under the Articles of Confederation initially, and then under the Constitutional government we know today in 1788, the Constitution was written in 1787 and ratified by the states afterward.  It is classified as a democratic republic.

Ancient Greece was the cradle of democracy with the first democratic system around 508 BCE, and very limited to a small class of citizenry.  That democracy did not survive into the modern era.

Most democracies weren’t 100% true democracies until fairly recently.  Not everybody of age had the ability to vote, even in this country.  Women got the right to vote in 1920, African American men had the ability to vote when the 15th Amendment removed racial barriers to voting in 1870, but many states continued voter discrimination until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 cleared the way for equal voting rights for everyone.  And, unfortunately, there is still prejudice today in society.  How unfortunate it is if we gloss over the words of Thomas Jefferson in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Self-evident truth, a truth so clear that defining it is considered unnecessary.  A truth that relies on ordinary human reason and innate moral sense.  To argue such is a fool’s errand.

All men are created equal.  Not in a biological sense.  Some are healthier, will live longer and have a better quality of life due to better health and opportunities.  Not in a social sense.  Some are born into wealthier, more influential families.  Some are born into family situations that are hard to overcome due to socioeconomic, societal, biological, educational, or environmental opportunities.  All men, and women, have equal moral status and have the same inalienable rights (fundamental rights attained through birth that can never be taken away, sold, or surrendered), given to them, endowed by their Creator (God), not by a flawed society.  Notice these rights are endowed not by the government, but by God.  It is the government’s job to protect them, not take them away.

These certain inalienable Rights, are basic to humanity.  Among these are Life, the right to survive, to live with dignity, and to be protected from entities or people who would harm you. Liberty, the freedom to live, make life choices, to exert free will within the confines of the law, and to live without unjust oppression and persecution.  And the pursuit of Happiness, the right to make your life choices and live life on your terms, as long as it doesn’t infringe on the rights of others.

I think how fortunate we were as a nation to have such forward thinking, wise, and intelligent men who wrote, debated, fought, argued, worked together, and risked everything for this nation built on liberty.  I doubt the politicians of today could come together and create such a stalwart document that could stand the test of time and man.  How we were blessed to have men such as Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, Adams, Rush, Paine, Hamilton, Hancock, Henry, Revere, Prescott, Dawes, Greene, Hale, Jones, Attucks, Boone, and countless others for such a time as then.  God used them all, worked in and through them for His purposes in bringing this nation to life.  If you have forgotten some of these names, I encourage you to look them up and read about them.  It may give you a newfound appreciation for service and sacrifice.

So, now what?  What will the next 250 years bring?  God only knows.  That’s not hyperbole, it’s the truth.  Throughout our history, God raised up men and women to respond to the needs of society during their lifetimes.  No demonizing, no name calling, no belittling the other side.  There is no room for hate.  We are Americans.  If we are to move forward, we need to work together, from Main Street, USA, to the Capitol Building and the White House in Washington, D.C.  God, just like every other time in our nation’s history, has raised us up, you and me, for such a time as this.  What has God called you to do?  

Let’s all start with Micah 5:8 – He has told you, O man, what is good— and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (MEV)

If you love God and your country, try to live by that verse, every day.  It would make our forefathers proud.  Happy birthday, America!  Let’s all have some cake!