I am 100% proud to be an American. I realize that I am here by chance of birth. I’m thankful to 
have been so blessed. It doesn’t mean I’m not dismayed by happenings.
Every July 4th, I read the Declaration of Independence. While most people are familiar with the opening, the most powerful part is the ending: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
Indeed, the Founders pledged their lives, fortunes, and honor to each other. In so doing, they did it for those coming after them, including me. It gives me pause if the people of today can do it.
Because of the words spoken by Ronald Reagan, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day
we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
Reagan made clear the importance of safeguarding freedom and included the word liberty, both being a priceless bequeath to us, requiring an active effort to preserve.
I view the landscape of America today and see deep division. It’s like we have more than one history, that once we could define American values and had a common culture. Some tear at the fabric of the freedoms we once celebrated as a whole. Instead, some feel diversity makes us stronger as a nation.
It doesn’t. Most should remember a fable by Aesop. The lesson is that there is strength in unity. For those 
not knowing it, to summarize, an old man gathers his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He orders them to bring in a bundle of sticks and says to his eldest son, “Break it.” The sticks are passed among the sons to break each true, and each fail.
“Untie the bundle,” said the father, “and each of you take a stick.” When they had done so, 
he told them: “Now, break,” and each son easily broke each stick.
Sometimes, I feel we are there—three hundred forty million individual states (sticks) with little allegiance to the other.
I don’t want to be the one charged with the task of one day telling my children and children’s children what it was once like in the United States, where people were once free citizens.