Americans declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776, and what followed was the American Revolutionary War and our attempt to create a Democratic Republic. Since our nation is so new, our effort has played out on the pages of recorded history, leaving our stains there for all to see, and sometimes hiding our dreams.
In 1997 Paul Johnson, a British historian, wrote "A History of the American People", and dedicated his book to "The American People: strong, outspoken, intense in their convictions, sometimes wrong-headed but always generous and brave, with a passion for justice."
Generalities like this never hit a mark, in my opinion, but I do see America as a work toward a democratic ideal which may, or may not come to fruition. Our Declaration of Independence, written on July 4, 1776 when we declared our freedom from Great Britain, says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." 234 years later, the dream still lives. Inalienable means that these rights cannot be given or transferred to any one else. They belong to every individual. It also means that if I want these rights for myself, I must allow them for others. I doubt if our Utopian idea will become a reality in my lifetime, but I firmly believe that it is a goal worth cherishing.
