I have never been interested in the Civil War — seemed to just be a big fustercluck to me. Now, the thought occurs to me that you cannot understand our current situation until you understand that the Civil War actually accomplished very little and that much of the work of the Civil War and for that matter, the Declaration of Independence, is STILL undone.
From this day forward, the 4th of July will be a day of mourning and reflection to me until that day when we begin to realize this basic tenet of the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The Declaration of Independence, July 2, 1776
Let the work begin…
The short version
Perhaps when we begin to understand our history on a deeper level we can realize that the America we have celebrated is a fantasy — it never existed!
O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath— America will be!
As children we are taught to seek out confirmation that we have done well. A reward through a treat or a hug becomes the norm. As we grow through to adult life, this belief system continues and builds our need to be affirmed, validated and have our needs or feelings recognised by those around us. Yet, in today’s world, the need for recognition and validation is portrayed as a trait that needs to be overcome – even though it is something that forms the very core of who we are as humans. As we work our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, how can we take this innate need for recognition, and use it to support those around us through crisis and build a stronger, more resilient community when we come out the other end?
