The American Miracle: Indepence Day 2020

Littlechild@emperorsnuclothes.com/ July 4, 2020/ Uncategorized

Do you, dear readers, believe in miracles? I do. And, over the years, I believe I’ve witnessed a number of them. One of the greatest miracles I have ever seen, however, is the country in which I live: the United States of America. That such a country, so committed to freedom, justice and equality, could emerge from the turmoil and depredations of history is so unlikely and so improbable that I consider it nothing less than a miracle.

Although the idea of representative government goes back to the republic of Rome, prior to the United States, world history can boast VERY few examples in which the noble idea of representative government came to fruition. While ancient Greece is recognized as the cradle of democracy, it was not truly representative government; the citizenry participated directly in decision making rather than electing representatives to do so. Under the heading of representative democracy, prior to the United States, Wikipedia lists JUST THREE other examples. The first example on the list is, of course, Rome. Next is England under Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester, who held two parliaments (1258 and 1265) which were representative in spirit. The third example is the Parliament of England in the 1700s. That’s it. That’s all there were.

Then came the United States of America. A government of the people, by the people and for the people, as Lincoln put it, was virtually unprecedented. I don’t think that the perennially aggrieved (and dreadfully devoid of historical perspective) youth of our country have any concept what-so-ever of what a precious thing the creation of this country really was.

Prior to the Revolutionary War, American colonies were essentially vassal states under the suzerainty of an oppressive and draconian “mother country” of England. Although England had a parliament, America had no real voice in it. The desire for representative government became the animus of the time. “No taxation without REPRESENTATION” was the battle cry and independence was the goal. And, during the Revolutionary War that followed, young America payed a heavy price in blood for its independence. The revolutionary troops were comprised not of career military, but of ordinary citizens so committed to independence that they risked their lives to make it happen. And, against all odds, they went on to defeat the greatest military force in the world, the British Empire. Miraculous.

And, once the war for independence was won, America’s founding fathers resisted the creation of a military government or a new monarchy. George Washington, with his troops behind him, was certainly in a position to establish himself as America’s home grown monarch. But he didn’t. Nor did the other leaders of that time. Their commitment to representative government was deeper than their self interest, leading them to relinquish the power that was certainly theirs. Miraculous, again.

And, America, once formed, faced a perilous future. There were nearly constant threats. Powerful nation states such as Mexico, Spain, England (their troops burned down the White House in 1814) challenged the young country in bloody conflict. Later, bellicose totalitarian regimes in Germany and Japan sought America’s demise. Later still, Marxist regimes in the Soviet Russia and Communist China sought to dominate and ultimately destroy us. And, insurrections from within were a threat as well. From the Whiskey Rebellion to the Confederacy America was forced to struggle mightily to maintain the union. In all these ways, America’s mettle was tested again and again, and each time it emerged victorious. Miraculous, indeed.

And aside from armed conflict, America has braved many civil calamities as well. From the privation of the dust bowl to the dark days of the Great Depression and now even to the horror of COVID-19, America has, again and again, risen to the occasion. Miraculous, yet again.

And still today, America continues to face adversity. On one hand there are insurgents like “Antifa” and “Black Lives Matter” (a self admitted Marxist group) that foment rioting, violence, theft, and, ultimately, anarchy, often in the guise of “seeking justice and reform.” On the other hand there are other adversaries that are a bit more covert, but no less dangerous: those that are involved in the “progressive”, leftist, Democrat “resistance.” Among them are the Democrat politicians who seem desperate to abolish our two party system of government. With their endless attempts at impeachment of the President, their opposition to the electoral college, their persecution of dissidents (Dinesh D’Souza, Roger Stone, General Michael Flynn and others), their war on transparency in electoral procedures, and their quest to enfranchise felons, 16 year olds and even illegal immigrants, they are pursuing that goal with shocking vehemence. Aiding and abetting them at every turn are “progressives” on campus as well as in the judicial system, academics and the media, who are currently attacking the bedrock principle of free speech. Under the guise of prohibiting “hate speech”, establishing “safe spaces” and “wokeness”, they aim to shut down any and all opposition to them. And, in parallel with these malcontents, there are cadres of restive immigrants from the Mid East who OPENLY deny allegiance to our Constitution. And, lastly, are the leftists who are hell bent on abolishing our system of free enterprise (the economics of which have made America the most prosperous nation in the world and in history) and disrupting the functioning of civil society.

Yes, America has faced, and IS facing, challenges quite formidable. On this Independence Day we would all do well to reflect for a moment on what a MIRACLE the United States of America truly is. And how very blessed we are to find ourselves within its borders. Happy Independence Day and may God bless America!