LET’S KEEP AMERICA GREAT!

Forget the GOP problems. Forget all the posturing, name-calling, and fear mongering from both sides of the political fence.  THINK INSTEAD about who we are as Americans.  Consider our history as descendants of immigrants to a new land who sought freedom from oppression.  Think about the cultural values our forebears defined in our constitution to maintain our freedom while ensuring humanitarian morals.  Reflect on our continued perseverance in evaluating and incorporating changes in our society through our chosen form of government.  We have faced and overcome challenges throughout our history yet America remains a great country, a place many millions choose to call “home!”

Look around you.  Everywhere you look, you see heroes!  They are: our families, who care for their loved ones; our religious communities, who rally with prayer and assistance when anyone is in need;  our civil servants- police, firemen, military- who often go beyond their required duties to ensure our safety; you and I, who respond with heartfelt empathy and a hand to help a friend when life frowns his way. We are Americans; this is what we do!

     We certainly continue to face our share of challenges, many of which are related to our fears. Like all humans, we fear death and disease.  But we are wary of change as well, which we sometimes view as a threat to our way of life.  Thankfully we have the capacity and desire to evaluate such changes and define their potential for actual harm so we can respond appropriately.  We have the ability to calm our fears while seeking rational solutions, striving to avoid having fear alone determine our choices of response and action.

To KEEP America great, we must continue our good work by remembering who we are: human beings dependent upon one another for the quality of life we enjoy.  We have morals, integrity, a conscience.  We are humanitarians.  Our choices to be so have made us heroes in the eyes of the world.  We ALL are America!

AUTHOR’S NOTE:  I became weary of the rhetoric about how we should “make America great again,”  and the preposterous suggestions for how we should  do so- suggestions which I believe are based in fear and intended to provoke fear.   I am of the opinion that America is and continues to be great, so I wrote this as a letter to the Winchester Star Editor. [published in their  web edition 5/18/16]  SEV