To the Editor:
I just endured another Fourth of July “celebration” weekend with the sounds of bombs and small arms fire. Some veterans (I was in the Army, infantry in the U.S. war against the people of Viet Nam — yes, it’s two words) who have been in war zones make it through the weekend by sleeping in the basement, or wearing earplugs, or sedating themselves. It’s not a pleasant experience.
“Patriotism” and remembering our history need to be much more than noise. After the hot dogs and barbecues, here’s a group activity that will get you to the heart of this nations “founding” — read the Declaration of Independence. Have dialogue with others about the words in the Declaration. Then talk about healthcare in this country, about the fact that 20% of children in the U.S. go to bed hungry, about the fact that many live paycheck to paycheck, about our taxes being used to fund wars vs. helping We The People, about our infrastructure, about wealth inequality, about the lack of funding for education at all levels, about bribery (aka “campaign contributions”) of our politicians, about special legal and tax privileges for those with wealth and/or connections, about the U.S. having more incarcerated people than any country in the world, about leading the world in mass shooting.
Do we have “equality”? Do we have “unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”?
This country has plenty of noise. What we need is dialogue, especially with “others,” about our issues and what can be done to make the words of the Declaration of Independence a reality.
Arnold Stieber
Pennellville
