I squirm a bit when politicians end a speech with “God bless America.” It seems hypocritical to me to declare that we as a nation are blessed when so many of our   collective actions diverge from good will or common sense. If we are blessed as “the shining city on the hill,” should we be bombing Iran? Should we be abandoning efforts to build sustainable energy sources? Should we be manipulating political boundaries to grant one party an electoral advantage? Shouldn’t we be finding a path to citizenship for the people who pick our vegetables and clean our hotel rooms?

Please understand, I love our country. I see us as an expression of hope and freedom and human dignity that is unique in history. I believe we are the apex example of whatever “intention” the evolution of consciousness contains for how a species should cooperate for survival and prosperity. Democracy has been tried in the past, but never within such a diverse and eclectic setting.

Near the end of his term as President, Barack Obama spoke to the Democratic National Convention and cited some core values he felt were critical to our success as a nation; things like valuing diversity and blending cultures. I read his words, agreed wholeheartedly and shared my thoughts with some friends. I was surprised when some expressed cynicism, saying things like this might be “…just feel-good speak…” and “What I have seen, is rudeness and a ‘me first’ attitude.” Their responses rattled me. Are we losing it? Are we really in danger of diverging from what motivated the founders and builders of our nation?

Obama closed his talk of American values with “That’s why anyone who threatens our values, whether fascists or communists or jihadists or homegrown demagogues, will always fail in the end.” I shook off my nagging doubts and quickly realized how strongly I agree. My heart hurts that many like my friends are cynical about the future of our noble experiment, but I can see how their perspectives have been corroded by living under a national leadership that uses blame and hate and anger to consolidate power and destroy any hope of acting for the common good.

We are better than that. We must vote to again elect leaders who are honest, capable and positive. And each of us must do our best to become part of the blessing that allows our nation to reclaim its rightful place in history. 

Keith Porter

Grass Valley