It seems a simple and inalienable principle, but independence-moreover: freedom-is anything but. The requirements for freedom are intangible, unlike freedom itself: sheer force of will, an inherent desire and the wherewithal to activate the aforementioned. Freedom can be taken and it is rarely given without immeasurable sacrifice which is why it is our most cherished idea.
One of the most powerful forces known to man is the idea. Ideas have shaped the universe as we know it. Ideas have allowed us to dream and forced us in to bondage. That freedom is an inalienable right is an idea. Freedom as an idea has no weight save the collective will of a people to fight to the bowels of their souls for it.
For this reason there is perhaps no greater secular holiday than Independence Day. In the United Sates, we celebrate with one another-all walks of life, all credos, all ethnicities-starring intently into the night sky to see the rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air. That that star spangled banner still waves is testament to the will of the people who salute it and the sacrifices they have laid bare.
This Independence Day, remember the struggles of those less fortunate around the world and the struggles in equal measure of your neighbors who still suffer despite having the freedoms we enjoy. Salute those who protect it with their will, desire and lives. Marvel at the strength of an idea and how it has shaped the world-for better or worse. Cherish the fragility of freedom and always remember that the first verse of the Star Spangled Banner-our National Anthem-ends in a question mark.
No comments:
Post a Comment