Let’s take a peek through the old stars and stripes. What is UNITY? What does “E Pluribus Unum” mean? Our current governmental leadership seems determined to divide our citizens into separate classes or casts. When it should be, “Out of many, one”, we seem to be heading in the opposite direction dividing up “one, into many”. This seems to be a direction opposite to the intention of the phrase found on most of all of our monetary tender. What has happened to our Nation? Why have we become a people so divided and intolerant of one another? At FREEDOMGOFORTH.COM, we feel we owe much of this divisive trend to those who believe the only way to the top is to attempt to tear down, by any means, those who are perceived to be in better positions either geographically, politically, economically, or socially.
UNITY is NOT uniformity. We all don’t have to look the same, or have the same abilities or talents, and we don’t have to talk the same way or even walk to the same beat. Our diversity can be a tremendous benefit . . . . as long as we don’t use it as a cudgel to achieve personal, often times political, agendas. Often times the way the term “diversity” is used is counterproductive to achieving a unified task or goal. If all of us wanted to be doctors, where would be the nurses to tend to the often-tedious job of seeing to a long-term recovery of patient? Where would be the taxi drivers to take us to and from the hospital? Where would be the service station attendants to fill up our gas tanks, or the service technicians to repair our electric vehicle used to get us to the doctor? Our diversity of talents allows us to blend together to get all the tasks done that need to be accomplished.
UNITY allows us to accomplish a joint task by blending together our individual abilities. It takes teamwork in any sport that requires more than one player on each side. Some may play a major role, and some may play a more minor role, but each must play their part for success to be the result. If one player decides to not play their role, or decides to go against the chosen path forward, the success of the team could be in jeopardy. To run counter to others could foster animosity and distrust, leading to the team’s further erosion and potential failure. To resign from the team could leave the team completely defenseless and even unable to participate in the assigned task. The weak link in any chain can lead to the failure of the entire chain. Think of our Nation as a woven material, with each thread a different color. When woven together, the end result is not only beautiful, but entirely functional.
UNITY celebrates the accomplishments of all participants and does not seek preeminence. Recognizing the efforts of the minor players leads to a cohesion among all the players, and further encourages all to do their part even in difficult times. In the end, all will hold the trophy, and all will celebrate each individual accomplishment. The success of the team will lead to further successes and be an encouragement to others observing, even wishing to participate, and should the opportunity arise, they will be up to the task to maintain the successes so far achieved.
What creates UNITY or oneness? If we are truly American, we will all strive together so that we exemplify “out of many, one”. If we believe in the great experiment of The United States of America, we will do whatever it takes, no matter how small our task may be, no matter how different we may look or act, no matter how we may talk or how different our path in life may be, to make our individualism perfected in oneness. Consider that sometimes outside forces can bring about this oneness. Often when a group of differing individuals are faced with a joint life or death situation, our oneness takes preeminence over our individualism. Such was the case, for the most part, in the fight for our Nation’s Independence from the British Empire beginning in the 1770’s. Such was the case in World Wars I and II. Such was the case on the attack upon our Nation on September 11, 2001, at least for a short time. As an example, which you may have experienced, consider you are flying on a commercial airline flight, sitting near the back of the aircraft seating configuration, and suddenly the aircraft encounters turbulence, throwing everyone’s body to the left and then to the right. We can guarantee to you that everyone’s body and head will move in complete unison, first to the left, and then to the right. The perfection of the movement could not have been choreographed as perfectly as that which the outside force of the turbulence created. Not everyone was of the same sex, height or weight, but each would move in complete unison, UNITY exemplified.
So, “What Does it TAKE to be an American?” Below are some suggestions to help us reclaim the true meaning of being an American.
Honor, respect and serve your neighbors in your community.
Recognize our mortality and how our influence can be for good, and not for evil.
If you climbed the social/economic ladder to a higher level, reach back down and help someone else to do the same.
Understand that our perfection is always a work in progress.
See reason to give thanks no matter your circumstances.
Understand and appreciate diversity, but do not demand it above all else.
Look for good in all things and seek only to improve upon it.
Embrace that UNITY is not captured in uniformity.
One’s preeminence is only given through one’s humility.
Humanity must always supersede technology.
Understand that we live in a broken world and cannot expect perfection in our lifetime.
Practice that profit should never come at the expense of another.
Always be ready to explain what you believe and why you believe it.
Understand that humanity has become victim to its own greed and hubris.
Understand that we are all social beings that need relationships.
Know in our hearts that light always shines brightest in the darkest places.
So, “What Does it MEAN to be an American?
Our Nation’s FREEDOM and LIBERTY is a joint project that requires the participation of all of us. Let us not become a fractured people. Let us practice true UNITY and shun all attempts to remake us into something we were never intended to be. We are AMERICANS, unified in our diversity, joined together in our efforts to maintain and defend The United States of America!