Wow, 240 years. 240 years since our Founding Fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence and declared freedom from England. 240 years since George Washington took it upon himself to lead our first set of troops into what most people expected to be a defeat. And 240 years since the rest of world realized that the United States of America was a force to be reckoned with.
A lot can happen in 240 years, and America has definitely seen it all. Not only has our country seen the Revolutionary War, but it has also seen war among its own people, two of the largest wars in the history of the world, and various other global conflicts. America has seen people like Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Mark Twain and Martin Luther King Junior, who have all impacted our country in profound ways. And we have seen many social injustices. Despite all the challenges, through all the trials, and with all the victories in our country, we have managed to stick together to stay one of the most powerful countries in the world.
On our country’s 240th birthday, I am reminded of why we have the freedoms and opportunities that we do. Throughout our short 240 year history, we have had millions of men and women devote themselves to protect our great nation. They leave their homes, their families and everything that they know so that our country will continue to see the great victories and experience the fantastic freedoms that we are known for.
As we look forward to the next 240 years (and many more) of our country, let’s not forget the past and the things that we have gone through to get to where we are. Things weren’t always easy, but in our country’s past, people with different beliefs, different backgrounds, and different opinions have come together despite their differences to create laws and make decisions that best fit our nation. In this day and age, where we seem to be a country divided by Democrats and Republicans rather than united together, we should remember that our country was started by men with many different ideas, and those ideas were the reason that we were able to become a truly free country. So, let’s put aside our differences, join together and work together to make sure that America stays a place where people are comfortable and safe in whatever they may want to do. Happy 4th of July and Happy Birthday America!
