The Centennial of the Symbol of Nelson Mandela

It was on July 18, 1918, when Nelson Mandela was born.  100 years later, he is widely recognized as a leading figure in the struggle for greater equality and freedom in South Africa for all people, and a symbol for the struggle for justice for all.

I first became aware of the Apartheid period in South Africa when I read a book on that country from the library later on in elementary school.  In 6th grade, we studied South Africa as part of Arts and Culture class.  Being aware of what happened with Jim Crow in the United States, I was able to see the same struggle against injustice in a different country.

It's incredible to think of the stature Nelson Mandela gained from being a political prisoner because he was part of something much larger than himself.  Indeed, while the government could imprison a freedom fighter, it could not imprison freedom itself, and Nelson came to embody that struggle for freedom.

And the work he did gives us much inspiration to continue striving in the task at hand for us, which former President Barack Obama laid out in this speech as the primary speaker of the 2018 Annual Nelson Mandela Lecture.  It's pretty notable that the first African-American president of the United States was invited--or perhaps as Mr. Obama put it, strongly persuaded--to give a lecture in honor of the first black African to serve as South Africa's president.

He talked about doing more to give to help others in the midst of a capitalist system that locks up much in the world's wealth in the hands of a few, and to engage in meaningful dialogue, as the current sociopolitical environment has led to toxic divisiveness.  He further called for better relations since the people of the world are becoming so interconnected in many aspects.  And he expressed great hope in the energy young people have, and encouraged them to get going with the work.

Indeed, may we draw energy from a symbol like Nelson Mandela and press forth in the long walk to freedom, not only in having the laws that allow us to be free, but to take hold of the responsibility that freedom entails to make a better world for all, living righteously before the God Who desires for us to be free.

Patriotic Greetings 2018: the USA and Identity

Patriotic Greetings!

These notable days at the start of July are so meaningful for me, because they speak in large part about how the United States was formed.  And in recalling these events on these days, I once again become more aware of who I am in the midst of this history.

Tensions between Great Britain and the 13 North American colonies over various issues, including taxation without representation, broke out in armed conflict on April 19, 1775, and ignited increased momentum away from reconciliation efforts and toward separation from Britain.

On June 7, 1776, in a session the Continental Congress, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee offered the following resolution: "Resolved. That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved".

To give sufficient time for delegates from other colonies to determine what course of action they should take, a vote on this resolution was scheduled for July 1.  Meanwhile, a committee was appointed to draft a written statement that would be used should Congress vote for independence.

When July 1 arrived, a lengthy discussion on independence ensued in Congress.  When it didn't appear the measure had unanimous support, the Congress decided to hold another vote the following day.  During the course of that night, several circumstances fell into the right place, and on the morning of July 2, 1776, the colonies assembled in Congress voted unanimously in favor of the independence resolution.

They then turned to the draft of the written statement, which they discussed over the course of the next two days.  On July 4, Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, and it was distributed to the general public.

After several more years of armed conflict, a decisive American victory at Yorktown led to peace negotiations, culminating in the Treaty of Paris 1783, which ended the conflict and by which Britain officially recognized the independence of the United States.

It's an occasion like Independence Day that truly makes me think much about who I am as a US citizen, and the ways we as the people of the United States define ourselves.  Certainly having celebrations on these days at the start of July is a statement about who we are as a people, based on what brought this country into existence and the celebrations established in the spirit of those circumstances.

A sense of place is a significant part of definition.  Visiting the places related to certain people or events gives us a better sense of their context.  That's why I was so delighted to have the chance to visit Philadelphia two years ago to experience the context of how the United States and its government were formed.  Fortunately, I had opportunities to experience other parts of that narrative of the creation of the US in previous trips, like to Williamsburg in the summer of 2009.  And 15 years ago this summer, on a family trip to North Carolina's Outer Banks, we visited Mount Vernon and Monticello.  Being at the homes of these Founding Fathers was a great way to experience the essence of who they were.  Also on that trip in 2003, we visited Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, a place that speaks to how this land was settled by Europeans, and even the aboriginal peoples who lived here before Europeans arrived.  That sets context for how the United States became an independent nation.

I also think back 10 years ago to summer 2008 when my family took a trip to Colorado.  On my way back home, I wore a Western-style that I bought at FM Light and Sons, a clothing store in Steamboat Springs.  As we got closer to our final arrival home, I felt myself having been drawn into the concept of the Western United States by having experienced it during that trip.  My whole sense of being a US citizen was reinvigorated by realizing the definition of the Western United States is very much a part of the overall identity of the USA, in which I share in equal measure.  As I reflect back on that trip, I think about John Mellencamp's song, "This is Our Country", which I first heard performed at the Boston Pops concert on July 4 a few years ago, and I was immediately taken to it.  As varied as our circumstances are, as John sings, "this is our country," for we share a common experience as one country. 

My personal sense of identity as a US citizen has been shaped by the sense of place that I call home, which I've been thinking about more deeply when it comes to this state of Illinois, because of the Illinois Bicentennial Commemoration that is happening throughout this year of 2018.  It's a time when we think about what Illinois is all about, and its part in the scope of the United States as a whole, much as I think about my own place in Illinois, and how my sense of being an Illinoisan speaks to who I am as a US citizen.  I've already taken some short road trips to places that allow me to engage with better understanding of what this place of Illinois is and plan for more such trips.

When it comes to thinking about how Illinois came into existence, I realize how important of a role vision plays.  European explorers came to these lands and saw what it could become.  When Louis Joliet and Father Marquette were passing through what is now the Chicago Metro Area, they had to portage from the Des Plaines River to the South Branch of the Chicago River.  They noted that a short canal through the prairie there would provide a link from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.  Less than 200 years later, the Illinois and Michigan Canal was built and provided that link that helped Chicago grow rapidly.  This was probably beyond the imaginings of James Monroe:  I have been reading through the book This Day in Illinois History, by Jeff Ruetsche, which tells how James Monroe explored what is now Illinois in the late 18th Century and didn't think much would come of the land as he gazed out over the wide open prairies.  Many years later, on December 3, 1818, he was President of the United States and affixed his signature to the paperwork that admitted Illinois as the 21st State of the USA.  And to think of how much Illinois has grown in the 200 years since, thanks in part to people who could see beyond what was right in front of them and see potential for what it could be.

Thus, ideas are also so crucial a part of identity, and they were important in the founding of the United States.  In the midst of the proceedings, a group of people deliberately focused on creating a country based on certain principles of freedom.  In our present time, there's much debate and discussion on how to make those principles a reality for everyone, often with conflicting opinions.  We can see in the recent Supreme Court decision Masterpiece Cakeshop vs. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, a debate of the desires of homosexual couples to be free from discrimination versus the desires of Christians to be free from having to violate their conscience rights while operating a business to provide for themselves.  Grappling with how to make these rights a reality for all people shapes our identity in significant ways.

On that family trip 15 years ago, my Mom bought a CD of patriotic music, and one of the songs on the album was "America, the Dream Goes On".  

I stumbled across that song in another album recently, and hearing the lyrics got me thinking.  There is so much from our past that influences who we are today, yet as we join the narrative, we are part of shaping it, too, just as people from generation to generation shaped it.  One line says, "the more we remember the way we began the closer we get to the best we can be".  The sentiments in that line speak to why I spend time engaging with our history, and use these High Patriotic Days to remember aspects of that history, because a sense of what we've been allows me to position myself to being part of making this country the best it can be in the sense of doing what is right within and contributing positively to the world around us.

One of my favorite movies is National Treasure, starring Nicholas Cage as Ben Gates, which I certainly think about around this time of year.  While Ben seeks after an immense treasure, he also recognizes the treasure that is the Declaration of Independence, and upholds its value as he draws inspiration from it for seeing things from a nobler perspective.

When I went to see the musical Hamilton last October, there was a line that was repeated at different points in the singing: "History has its eyes on you."  Indeed, we are going to have an effect on the course this country will take, just as did those who were involved in past events, like in those summer days in 1776.  Just as we look back on what others did in history, like in those summer days of 1776, in the future, others will look back upon what we have done to bring us to where they ended up.  It gives us a challenge and an opportunity to do what is right and work to shape the course of events to make a positive impact.

And even now, we can consider the perspective of those viewing the United States from outside.  Despite imperfections exhibited by the people of the US now and in the past, somehow, people are still drawn to come here, as they have been for years, for a variety of reasons.  It's definitely exciting to see immigrants participate in our society:  I remember what it was like when I worked the polls as an election judge in April 2017 and was there to witness a woman vote for the first time the day after being naturalized a US citizen.  

Furthermore, I'm very much aware of the presence of immigrants during my workdays because my supervisor and one of my coworkers are from different parts of Asia.  A few months ago, my coworker checked out a citizenship test guidebook, and as she thumbed through it, she picked out questions randomly to ask us in the workroom.  Through something like the citizenship test, which speaks to what the United States is all about, we who are already part of the United States, as natural-born or naturalized citizens, convey a sense of identity.

So we join together in a common experience as people of the United States, which is so eloquently expressed in George Washington's 1796 Farewell Address: "Citizens, by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations....the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts of common dangers, sufferings, and successes."  This concept of a common experience makes me think of 

I truly believe that the United States is a country notable for its commitment to ideals of freedom, which give us an important role to play as the US citizenry as we express our identity through those ideals.  The American's Creed is a statement written in the early part of the 20th Century that I feel offers a great summary for what this country is:

"I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

"I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies."

The United States was notable in being founded on the highest principles, and there was a wide recognition of them as a gift of God Almighty.  May this occasion of Independence Day motivate us to stand firm in those principles and pursue the noble work of making them a reality for all, and being free to do what is right and noble.

Here's to celebrating the United States of America and those noble ideals that are part of its identity.

To the Spirit of God and the Spirit of America,

Paul

I thank Carolyn DeCoursey at Maze Branch Library in Oak Park for getting this photo of me posing with The Signers: the 56 Stories Behind the Declaration of Independence by Dennis B. Fradin.  I discovered this book at the Dole Branch Library in Oak Park when I was a middle schooler, and from it, I learned much of the history about how the United States became independent in 1776.  Indeed, libraries have given me access to knowledge that has helped better acquaint me with my identity as a US citizen.

P.S. This is my annual Patriotic Greetings note for 2018.

Here are links to view the versions of these notes that appear on my blog for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Like with any of my blog posts, please feel free to share this note with others.

While this note has been in electronic version since 2013, a paper copy is always available.  Please contact me if you would like one, and where I should send it.