Independence Day

238

They say it’s your birthday. Well it’s my birthday too, yeah…..Yes we’re going to a party party…. (The Beatles)

 

Two Hundred Thirty Eight years after declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain,we have plenty of wrinkles and show signs of aging, and our weight has been redistributed over the years (and continues). We’ve also developed a rather cranky disposition, particularly over the last decade. Maybe it’s the constipation.

But, it’s our birthday and we’re gonna have a good time. We’ll get as much red white and blue stuff as possible, because nothing says freedom from oppression like buying stuff, unless it’s from Hobby Lobby and other businesses, where owners’ religious views on contraception allow them to not have to provide insurance coverage for contraception for their female employees.

Remember when we were younger, and our minds (and hearts) were smaller, and we didn’t demand that businesses serve everyone equally? It was wrong and needed to be corrected. We had another milestone this week– It has been 50 years since the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. Much has changed in our 238 years, and mostly for the better. But forgetfulness often accompanies aging and stress, and lately we seem to have forgotten how to be the United States of America.

The ironically named Citizens United Supreme Court ruling in 2010 and this week’s Hobby Lobby case, have empowered those who seek to define personhood beyond living persons. Moreover, actual individual human people are considered less significant than those claiming personhood.

Like the adolescent who seeks to express independence from adult authority through insolent, obnoxious or sometimes violent or potentially harmful behavior, the reactionaries focus on themselves and claim oppression. This includes the open carry gun toters, who rant about their constitutional rights to protect (or just own guns) while clearly presenting weapons, which are indeed threatening. This is not the essence of independence, nor of the United States of America.

There was a bright spot this week, however, that spoke to the essence of independence and the United States of America. Tim Howard, the aptly named “Secretary of Defense” goalkeeper for team USA at the World Cup, was phenomenal as he blocked 16 shots from our Belgian opponents. Americans love a hero and love individuals. We rooted for our team, but they couldn’t score a goal. Still, we found a hero in the independent performance of Tim Howard. Let’s not forget, while Howard’s skill and determination were singularly executed, it was all for team USA.

When independence is for the greater good—for team USA(and beyond)– then independence is worth celebrating.  They say it’s your birthday. Well, it’s my birthday too, yeah…. we’re going to a party party…..

Happy Birthday to US

Happy 237th Birthday, Dear America! As we get ready to celebrate our 237th birthday, and look forward to a four day weekend starting on the Fourth of July, we enjoy down time, sales, cook-outs and fireworks. It’s time to celebrate life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Time to don the red, white and blue and hang out.

While there is no shortage of unfolding news stories today that grip our attention, including the unfolding crisis in Egypt as it’s new government is now being run by the military in the interim between Morsi and whoever is next ; the whereabouts (and what-abouts) of Edward Snowden; the George Zimmerman trial, and more unfolding stories, we will nonetheless relax and note that in 237 years, we’ve been through a lot. But what about our future?

The last twelve years have felt off balance, here in the USA. Some have bemoaned our decline. We are vulnerable to domestic and international terrorism. We have fought two  horrific and incredibly long wars. Our economy tanked in a way that was not seen for generations, and we are still struggling to create jobs at home. The American Dream for so many young adults seems to be just a dream. Like our crumbling bridges and highways, much of our  physical and governmental infrastructure seems to be in desperate need of repair. We have so many more issues to confront, and people question the ability of government to accomplish basics, much less improve conditions. We seem so acrimonious and scared, and seem to be so enervated after the last twelve years. Are we just middle aged at 237?

Or are we adolescent? Bickering and ideological; not considering consequences, but yelling grand philosophical theories about government; slamming doors. We love our gadgets and games and our industry of entertainment. We eat all the time. Everything else feels like a chore. We want to be safe, but not watched. We think we are invincible. We can find flaws in everything . Nothing is good enough. We are way more together than the other countries, even with our pimples.

Of course it’s hard to know if this 237th birthday of ours is one that will have us heading for colonoscopies or toward reconciling our early years (237) with the possibilities for adulthood.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lists characteristics of cognitive and social-emotional development of adolescents . It seems to me that we could be in the middle stages of adolescence.

Cognitively, middle staged adolescents have:

Continued growth of capacity for abstract thought

 Greater capacity for setting goals

 Interest in moral reasoning

 Thinking about the meaning of life

 Moving into late adolescence we would need to have:

 Ability to think ideas through from beginning to end

 Ability to delay gratification

 Examination of inner experiences

 Increased concern for future

 Continued interest in moral reasoning

 

and move our social-emotional development to:

Firmer sense of identity, including sexual identity (**and be accepting everywhere)

Increased emotional stability

 Increased concern for others

 Increased independence and self-reliance

 Peer relationships remain important

 Development of more serious relationships

 Social and cultural traditions regain some of their importance

Declaring our independence for the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness does not have to be adolescent. We can be thoughtful and responsible and inclusive while allowing the pursuit of freedom. 237 may not be young, but I’m not convinced that we are middle aged yet, either. We have a wealth of resources and experiences to draw upon to generate positive impact. We are old enough to reflect and learn, and young enough to create and foster progress while deepening our relationships. Happy Birthday to US!