Twenty Days to Go 

     We can't say we won our 200th year of nationhood in 1976. Will we win our 250th July 4th? We did win a soccer game. And SpaceX. 😉

     Jamey Cheaney: "Pride in America is at an all-time low, especially among the young." One poll shows only 41% of young Americans have pride in their country. And 29% are embarrassed. A poll: 38% are extremely proud. Some of these polls were taken 2-3 years ago, in Biden America, or recovering from it. Will Lee Greenwood sing I'm proud to be an American again this summer?       

     Our Founding Fathers were not certain about America's future. Ben Franklin replied to a woman's question, A republic, if you can keep it. Mrs. Cheaney says, "Jefferson and Adams wouldn't recognize the nation they birthed in 1776." Slavery continued in the South for more than 60 years.  

     Freedom made possible prosperity, peace, ambition and innovation (bad for some, overcoming poverty for others). Author Wilfred McClay says, "Being a land of hope will also sometimes mean dashed hopes. A nation that professes high ideals makes itself vulnerable to criticism. All humans are flawed, as is human enterprise. Much of what passes for cynicism is lack of naivete (wisdom, experience and judgment)." 

     Cheaney says "The political scene isn't too encouraging, but by God's grace we're still here. We can love our homeland. She needs it."

Views: 250 years ago, there were no vehicles, airplanes, TV, telephones, education...little cash and no oil. Families more or less remained neighbors and church goers until after WWII. Our young generation - some of them - hate what we've become. They may be listening to the wrong people or thinking for themselves. They won't find a better country. Different people have different views, so not everyone will sing along with Lee Greenwood.