Giving Our Best to America

Copyright © 2019

by Ralph F. Couey

It was a hot, muggy day in 1776. A group of 56 delegates had been meeting in Philadelphia for some time to debate whether 13 British colonies dared to tell their King that they were declaring themselves a separate nation.

This was no small decision.  Britain was a global power at the time, possessing the most powerful army and navy on the planet.  Those 56 committed patriots knew that once the text of this declaration crossed the Atlantic Ocean, retribution would be swift, sure, and merciless.  They also knew that as signatories to this revolutionary document that their lives would be held in forfeit by the King.  Despite this very real danger, they boldly closed the document with the strident words, "We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."  To the dream of Independence, they gave their best to America.

The war that followed was bloody, difficult, and expensive.  George Washington's army was at times shoe-less, starving, freezing, and defeated.  But somehow, despite those hardships, they persevered.  And with the help of the French, victory was achieved.  America had been declared a nation, and fulfilled itself on the battlefield.,  They gave their best to America.

The real work now began.  Through the process of vigorous and rancorous debate, the people's representatives undertook deciding what kind of country it would become.  Finally in 1789, the United States had it's constitution.  It has been endlessly pointed out that the men who did this were slave owners.  But the right to own slaves was not enshrined in those articles.  Nor would it be.  Ever.  They knew that this government, this experiment in representative federalism must be allowed to mature, to grow beyond itself to embrace new, even radical ideas.  This visionary wisdom, that American government would never be fully complete, has shaped us as a people.  In the face of bitter resistance, they gave their best to America.

The British Empire struck back in 1812.  The capitol city of Washington was sacked and burned and America teetered on the brink of early extinction.  But they fought back and won their second war against that global empire. It was during this conflict that an action in Baltimore Harbor gave birth to the words that would become our National Anthem.  Those who made sure that in the dawn's early light that our flag would still be there gave their best to America.

For years, the argument  raged.  Would American government consist of independent states with a weak central authority, or a strong central government over states possessing limited autonomy?  For many, it was high time that the ugly question of slavery be resolved once and for all.  Eleven states, all in the south, seceded from the Union over these issues, and attacked the Union forces.  It was foolish.  Even counting slaves, the northern population outnumbered the south almost three to one.  Despite the audacity of Lee, Jackson, and Longstreet, and utter incompetence of a long line of Union generals, the numbers finally caught up to the south.  After the deaths of almost a million soldiers and civilians the Union was restored.  Slavery's abolition was enshrined in the Constitution.  But the lingering feelings would persist to this day.  That from these honored dead, we took increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last, full measure of devotion.  They gave their best to America.  

In 1918, America went to war again.  The Lusitania notwithstanding, the United States was never physically in danger from Imperial Germany.  Rather it was intended to save our former owner, England, from defeat.  It was the first, but by no means the last time American blood was shed for someone else's freedom.  

In 1941, America was attacked, and went to war.  Fighting two vast wars on battlefields half a world apart from each other, The United States, along with the allies, decisively defeated both Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.  Once the conflict ended, it was American dollars that rebuilt both former enemies.  The losses were significant, but once again those soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines gave their best to America.

Few people know this, but the first feminist issue was prohibition.  Wives struggled to feed, clothe, house, and protect their families from drunken husbands.  Physical assault, even murder, along with the financial destitution resulting from paychecks being expended on alcohol.  When it became apparent that government wasn't going to act for them, they agitated for the right to vote.  And when that right was won, they went to the ballot box and changed the system.  The prohibition of alcohol was a losing proposition from the beginning, but women recognized that power and influence, for so long the exclusive province of men, was available to women as well.  Those courageous and principled women gave their best to America.

In the late 1950's the systematic oppression of blacks was openly challenged by those who had been victims of that oppression.  Violence ensued, blood was spilled, people died.  But slowly, oh, so slowly, things began to change.  Chastened by the passionately lyrical words of courageous people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whites responded to correct the injustices resulting in sweeping laws that etched in stone the civil and voting rights of black Americans.  Those who agitated, demonstrated, fought, suffered, and died, finally saw the victory.  They gave their best to America.

Several years ago, documentarian Ken Burns turned his substantial talents to World War II.  Within that story emerged a song written by Gene Scheer and sung by Norah Jones.  It was entitled, "American Anthem."  I think that there are few songs that so deeply describe the one core value that seems to permeate all those who call themselves Americans.  That core value is the uncritical willingness to give all of one's self to the ideals and principles which underlie everything we do.  You can listen to the song here, and I invite you to do so.  These words don't just celebrate the military, but every American who has ever stood tall for a higher ideal, particularly when the rest of us needed to be reminded of just what being an American truly means.  The chorus eloquently express what this means:

Let them say of me

I was one who believed

 in sharing the blessings I received

Let me know in my heart

When my days are through

America, America

I gave my best to you

I've been in 32 different countries in my lifetime, almost never in resorts or hotels, but in the villages and barrios where I came face-to-face with the consequences of a people who lost control of their government.  I know people here complain about poverty, but until you've been to Africa, you don't know what poverty really is.  The one thing that separates us from such a fate is not our leaders in Washington or our state capitols.  The strongest thing that America possesses is that group described in the three deceptively simple words, "We the People."  The Constitution was written to keep the true power of America in the hands of the people, who will always have the power to change the country.  That will work as along as we never forget that we possess such power.  We can complain until we're blue in the face, but we will always have the ballot box, the most powerful weapon of a democracy.  If we want change, we can have it.  All we have to do is muster the strength to stand tall and make it happen.

In that way, we too will give our best to America.