"We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths –- that all of us are created equal –- is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth." --President Barack Obama, 2013 Inaugural Address
President Obama reminded us of the "We" when it comes to the people of this country....."We" as opposed to "us" or "them". The pursuit of happiness (joy) the Declaration of Independence hoped to make possible is dependent on the "We the People" as stated in the Constitution, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Furthermore, the Declaration of Independence states that "We" are created equal....."our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth."
I'd like to state this idea of unity in a different way. It is a well-known fact that people will often come together against a common enemy such as when We, the people of the United States, fought in WWII "alongside" Communists in order to defeat Nazis. In that vein, I say it's time we start seeing our problems as the common enemy and not each other. When President Obama said, "We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate" I was cheering right along with the assembled crowd. Nepo put it this way, "....realize there are no wrong turns, only unexpected paths" when it comes to finding peace, living peace, and being restored to our original Oneness--humans made in the image of God.
President Obama illustrated this point by reminding us we have made friends with former enemies. He said, " We are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war; who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends -- and we must carry those lessons into this time as well."
I stand with our President, with my prayers and my intentions, to seek to solve the problems in our society, our country, our world with a renewed attitude of the Oneness that has always existed....the Oneness on which our country was founded....We the People....dedicated to the preservation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness....for all.
Whether or not you agree with the programs and policies this Administration is attempting to institute, we should all come together to debate, respectfully, the issues at hand--not letting our personal preferences or beliefs to cause us to take sides before the discussion even begins. We must acknowledge that sometimes what looks like a wrong turn is merely an unexpected path to the right path. As a Christian I'm of the belief that God is ultimately in control, and my heart, when given over fully to God, will guide me in what I do and say. It's not my place to judge others for their behavior or beliefs. Even the outcome is not up to me. My job is to love my fellow man, no matter what.
Father, my pledge of allegiance is to You, first and foremost. I thank you for placing me in a country that allows me to do so. May I always exercise that freedom with love and respect for my fellow humans, no matter what.
Link to scripture: Colossians 3:12-14
Take action: Pledge for Unity
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