The year 2011 marks the 235th anniversary of American Independence, a significant milestone in world history. For those with an interest in historical events, commemorating the 235th year of any nation’s founding represents a momentous occasion. Europeans can point to celebrations spanning nearly eight centuries, including the 1215 signing of the Magna Carta. Recognized as among the most significant legal documents in the history of democracy, the Magna Carta served as England’s Declaration of Independence. Long before that came Roman democracy, which flourished for roughly a century before the empire itself persisted for approximately 1,500 years. Greece preceded Rome with about 200 years of democratic governance, ending some 400 years before Christ. Before Greece’s Golden Age came what twentieth-century French philosophers termed being and nothingness. While French Independence and the subsequent overthrow of the royal system following the American Revolution merit admiration, nothing has quite matched the Declaration of Independence proclaimed on July 4, 1776. American democracy’s global influence remains potent. Across the world, people fundamentally desire freedom, regardless of where they reside. The civilized world continues to feel the impact of American democracy – and we must acknowledge that recent events in the Middle East represent populations striving to liberate themselves from tyranny under dictators masquerading as legitimate leaders. Over the past six months, democratic uprisings have occurred in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Morocco, Iraq, Jordan, Bahrain and Oman. The essential truth: people seek freedom. People reject authoritarianism. Dictators need to pack up and get out of Dodge. Americans, by contrast, are not collectively fighting for basic freedoms. The legal justice system functions reliably. Individuals retain the opportunity to pursue their own paths and practice their chosen religions. America continues to operate effectively. Our current concerns center on whether we can overcome our financial excess and whether we possess the resolve to implement necessary changes given our crisis level. Will we recover from the recent economic downturn? Or will we decline because we cannot adapt or sacrifice? These questions define this July – the July of our 235th year of independence.
The Fourth of July 2011
