The Fourth of July holiday had always been a day that I took for granted for the most part. I do recall as a freshman in high school that the 4th had a greater meaning for me that year, as it was 1976 and our country’s bi-centennial celebration. I succinctly remember a line to one of our cheers- “It’s our Bi-Centennial Year so Let’s Cheer!”. That was kind of catchy, no? I’m sure it resonated more than any other year due to the year long preparations for our 200 years of independence celebration. I think about the next hundred year marker and that will put us in the year 2076 which I most likely will NOT be here. Hopefully, that celebration will be grander and still take place withstanding we still exist as a democratic republic.https://www.thoughtco.com/republic-vs-democracy-4169936.
I guess the point I’m making is that in my younger years I thought of the 4th as just a day in our history which we celebrated giving us a day OFF. As an American citizen, I knew how lucky I was to live in the most desirable country in the world. But I can honestly say that I took it for granted. I sat in history class and learned about how we gained our independence. I learned about the great sacrifices our ancestors made to provide the freedoms I was so used to. Yes, I was proud to be an American but never really understood the gravity of what it meant to have such freedoms and live in the United States of America.
I was too young in the sixties to realize the effects of the Civil Rights movement going on around me. I lived a pretty sheltered life being from a small town with most of the population being 1st & 2nd generation immigrants. I was brought up in a Catholic family and was taught Jesus loves everyone, everyone of all colors. One of my favorite songs was “Jesus loves the little children”.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5LCvWddQHw In my world, small as it was, everyone was equal, or so I thought. Fifty years later, after so much progress, it kind of feels like we are still living in the Civil Rights era. At this time more than any other, this resonates with me and provokes such a sadness in my heart.
The seventies proved to be a time of lots of social turmoil and I was learning about it in school. There was always something in the headlines regarding the Vietnam war, women and gay rights along with the emerging sexual revolution. I look back, and even though I was living through these major cultural issues I don’t remember them impacting my day to day life. Affecting me personally was the feminist movement which I did support on many levels. But blended with my cultural background I was able to put it in the proper perspective for myself. Later on in life, as a professional I would experience this type of discrimination first hand.
In my opinion, America in the eighties and nineties seemed to be a time of general satisfaction and progression. I had graduated college and became a working member of society. I worked hard and learned very quickly about taxes and how to provide for myself on a very small income. I eventually got married and started a family. I learned so much during those years and it wasn’t from my formal education, it was from life. We as a country had some economic highs and lows but I feel like this was the most “normal” time of my life in relation to the country. The country seemed to be navigating with limited turmoil during this time frame. But of course all good things must come to an end. Devastation was just around the corner come 2001.
For the first time in my life I felt vulnerable and scared after the horrible events of 9/11. As a country we were all in shock. This epic tragedy prompted extreme unification as a country. Life as we knew it would never be the same. I truly thought we may experience war on American soil, something I previously thought was unfathomable. I was terrified for my family and all Americans for such a long time. To not feel safe in the United States of America was a new phenomena for most of us. It was years before I felt some sense of trust that we as Americans were protected and safe again. Unfortunately, some of that feeling is returning.
So, now I feel (and maybe many of you do also) as though we are reliving a period of great transgression. Now, more than any other time in my life do I cherish the holiday of July 4th. Our forefathers as young as they were procured a government to protect our rights as “individuals” the emphasis of a democratic republic. Are we perfect? Nothing is perfect. But I can’t imagine finding anywhere better in the world to live. We should all be so very grateful for our great Republic. Let us hope that it continues for a long, long time to come so that our children and our children’s children enjoy the freedoms our forefathers fought so hard for.
Happy Fourth of July my Fellow Americans!
