What It Will Take For Another 249 Years

Over this last holiday weekend while I was at Mackle Park, I was amazed at the level of summer activities by young and old alike on the island. They were there playing in the game room, out on the soccer fields, and under the cover of the outside multifunction courts. There were also two young children playing outside in the spray park while their parents kept a close eye on them. 

As I’ve sat here and thought about the Straight Talk column for this week, my mind drifted back to the carefree nature of the boys playing and all those activities within the park. I thought about how that related to the actions of the Constitutional Congress 249 years ago and the holiday recently celebrated last Friday as Independence Day. 

The Constitutional Congress had actually voted secretly on July 2 to declare our independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was finally published on July 4, and the first public reading of the document was held on July 8. It was the first step in the creation of what we know today as the United States of America. 

We would later see the creation of the Bill of Rights, written by James Madison, that guaranteed constitutional protection for individual rights. Other precursors to the Bill of Rights included English documents such as the Magna Carta, amongst others. 

Seeing these children play freely in a nation which had its origins in the eyes of visionaries from the 13 original states 249 years ago is kind of mind-boggling. It is an amazing accomplishment when one takes the time to ponder the extent of its impacts on those generations who were yet to be born. To think ordinary men had a vision for a nation and a system of governance that would endure all these years is amazing.  

Those two children and the freedoms and opportunities they have been afforded started as a dream for a better life for those who literally signed their death warrants when they affixed their signatures to a document which is today revered around the world. 

The solemn legacy of our founders is often pushed aside by our desire to enjoy but another holiday.We should instead take a moment to reflect on the wonder of their commitment to putting into motion an incredible series of events that would lead to the people we are today.  

Americans should take the time to remember all of this as they celebrate July 4,a day that is also known as Independence Day for a reason. It should not be lost during the barbecues, fireworks celebrations, concerts, and parades that this holiday was established to reflect on the meaning of freedom and personal rights. 

As an individual, I can’t help but see those two young children playing at the spray park as part of that wonderful legacy of those 56 patriots who signed their lives away so we might stand here today and bask in the warmth of independence and freedom.  

I can only hope that we continue to revisit the meaning of America for all generations and celebrate the glorious gift that was given to us 249 years ago by our citizens who shared this great vision and  

courage. The enjoyment of the holiday is behind us, but the responsibility to continue the vision of those brave 56 patriots from 249 years ago is now our sacred responsibility, now resting upon our shoulders and those children who played at the park only a few days ago while I watched. 

If the vision and dream for a better future, as seen by those early patriots, is to succeed, then we must have the commitment to be better stewards of that vision they held for the future they envisioned for us. We must have the courage to look at today’s challenges and tackle them head-on and refuse to leave them for the next generation.  

Democracy isn’t for the faint of heart; instead, it requires leadership and citizens to make the effort to engage with its citizens to find reasonable approaches to the challenges we will face in the future.