Open Letter to All Who Love Our Nation,
The United States of America was founded on the principle that all persons are created equal and have the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This principle has made the United States of America a beacon for democracy around the world. People respect our nation because we enacted this fundamental principle as our ideal.
As citizens, we each have a responsibility to put this principle into action. No president, no one political party can keep democracy vibrant and thriving. We cannot expect someone else to make this happen. We each must remember to treat others as equal with the same rights we claim for ourselves. In recent elections, we voted into office leaders who have told us, “Yes we can,” and that our nation can be “made great again.” However, one leader’s proclamation does not create this reality.
We need to remember John F. Kennedy’s challenge, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” We each need to examine our souls: “Do my actions demonstrate to others that I believe we are equal? Am I willing to work with others whose views on some issues may differ from mine but who also value the rights of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and justice for all?”.
None of us can give a definitive, “Yes,” to these questions. We each must work for equality and rights in order to keep democracy thriving in our nation.