Pull your red, white and blue socks up Americans! We’ve got work to do.

And, for the love of George, Thomas, Abe, Eleanor, Clara, Dorothea, Harriet, Sacajawea, Martin, the named and unnamed of history, or whomever your own historical mentor is, stop whining!

Good grief! “The Supreme Court decided “X”; I’m no longer proud of my country.” Seriously, that’s all it takes to discourage you? Truly?

Founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, which we celebrate today, are aspirational documents not money-back guarantees. It’s up to us to take the baton from generations before, make it “a more perfect Union” where citizens have the rights of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”; and then to hand the baton off to the next generation.

I’m furious with the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe; what a monstrous invasion of privacy, autonomy, and liberty. It represents a profound disrespect for women and is disingenuous in alleged care for the burgeoning life of the fetus and child who is born.

But, my fury doesn’t make me less proud and delighted to be an American.

Yes, delighted! How can I be anything other? Here we are in a nation-wide experiment called democracy. We, Americans, are the first to try it at this scale and this broadly. “We the People” have done some epic amazing stuff, to the point that others have arranged their government and aspirations closely to ours. “We the People” have done some epic horrible stuff to each other and to others. Focusing mostly on one or mostly on the other is historical dishonesty. (Note: please don’t whine on behalf of others. It’s another form of silencing them and putting the spotlight on yourself.) We will always be good and bad, as will every other country made up of people. However, we in a democracy, have the tools and right to change it. Pull up your socks!

Over the past couple of days, I’ve had the occasion to ask four women what they would do if the US were attacked: fight or flee? All said “fight” with no hesitation. I would fight. In fact, I want to be the one slithering on the ground with twigs on my head, looking like a shrub, throwing hand grenades at bad guys. I’d be scared out of my mind, but this, us, U.S. is worth fighting for.

If your answer to the question above is “flee” and it isn’t based on your direct responsibility to someone dependent on you, then I’m not much help. But, if you would fight, then won’t you stand up? I’m not asking you to shoot. I am asking you to fight to make US a “more perfect Union.” 🇺🇸

FB 7/4/2022