We mutually pledge our lives, our fortune, and our sacred honor
This is the often forgotten last sentence of America's Declaration of Independence.
Yet most of us are most familiar with the 2nd line that declares our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As Kurt Andersen notes in a recent NY Times article, The Downside of Liberty, these things are a recipe for individualism. Selfishness, individualism, and competition drive capitalism, but these things will also bring America as a political body of citizens to the ground.
It's frightening to witness the public backlash against universal healthcare in America. And where did the 1% come from? These are anxiety-ridden people enslaved to their possessions. We are all inter-connected. Taking care of each other is taking care of ourselves.
Interbeing- Thich Nhat Hanh
“To be” is to inter-be.
You cannot just be by yourself alone. You have to inter-be with every
other thing.
Thinking about America as a part of a global whole, America never could just be a "City on a Hill". America is a nation inter-connected with every other nation. "We the people" are free, and don't you forget that! It's a constant struggle and we must remind ourselves every day. We don't need to exercise our power or exploit others to assure ourselves of our freedom.
Freedom is ours to hold-- it's just a struggle in your mind to keep your soul
Freedom- The Beautiful Girls
