Bombs Bursting in Air
America isn’t exceptional for our might, power and wealth. We are exceptional because of the American people. We come from every corner of the world and live as one people, one nation. This 250 year experiment in democracy was to build a more perfect union, whatever that might be throughout history. It was designed to change along with us, not work against us. Even today we can’t predict how America might be in another 50 years as we turn 300. That is for those born today to decide. The future is for them, not us.
We have never been perfect nor a utopian society. These are for fantasies and dreams. We are reality in all its glory and shame. We have faltered many times. We have sometimes tried to right the wrongs of our ancestors by learning from their mistakes and tragedies. We have also ignored the lessons learned and repeated these same mistakes and tragedies at times.
As our beloved nation has fallen to its knees and weeps for what we have wrought upon the world and ourselves, I see hope for us all. I sit in my prison cell high above the city watching the fireworks that surround me from every side. I look down upon our star spangled banner waving proudly, shining like a beacon of hope to remind us that we are still standing because She still stands.
Another American once sat under guard, watching our beloved nation being attacked by British forces yet again. He saw the bombs bursting in air yet our flag still waved. Mr Francis Scott Key saw hope in the midst of great tragedy and penned our national anthem as a very brief prisoner of war.
Our Star Spangled Banner still waves today as I write this under guard in a far different kind of war, the war on human trafficking. A war that yet again pits brother against brother and humanity against itself. There is still hope for we Americans though and our 250 year experiment in bringing all of humanity together.
We simply need to pause and reflect on the lessons our ancestors taught us. We need to remember that we are one. E pluribus unum: One of many and out of many, one. We are united and cannot be divided, as with humanity itself. What affects one affects us all. That is why, as a proud daughter of America I say with hope, love, understanding and brotherhood
Every life matters, especially yours.
God bless America and especially Her people.
