Opinion: Ideals of 1776 guide America through changing times http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060703/cm_usatoday/idealsof1776guideamericathroughchangingtimes
A woman named Adeleida Rey stood on a road in Brownsville, Texas, last week as the flag-draped coffin of Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, passed by. Menchaca, whom she did not know, was one of two soldiers kidnapped and brutally killed in Iraq in one of the most horrific incidents of the war. As she and her grandchildren waved American flags, she explained why they were paying respects to a stranger: "He was fighting for our freedom, and because of that we are here." She spoke in Spanish, except for one word: Freedom. It has been 230 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed, giving birth to a nation dedicated to liberty. Rey's words conjured up the enduring power that concept carries. Since that first Independence Day, America has struggled mightily against shifting threats to attain and protect the ideals so eloquently defined by the Declaration's words: The injustices of slavery and racism; the hunger and poverty of the Great Depression; the Civil War, two world wars, today's wars in Iraq and on terror. And much else. But the belief in individual liberty has remained the glue that, more than anything else, makes America a cohesive, and different, nation. Not that it's easy to gauge in any scientific way, but ask most anyone what being an American means, and you'll feel the passion that freedom stirs. It pours forth in moments of tragedy, such as funerals for heroes like Menchaca. But it is always there and shared by the newest and oldest Americans alike - a wellspring of pride, satisfaction, confidence and celebration waiting to be tapped. You'll find it coursing through readers' letters elsewhere on this page. Here's another measure: A new USA TODAY poll shows - no surprise - that Americans are proud to be American and, even in these politically divisive times, feel that most of their countrymen cling to the liberties set out in the Constitution. High numbers said most Americans respect freedom of speech (77%) and religion (74%). They believe in equal rights (71%). An unsettling undercurrent is also evident, though. Freedom is preserved only when people aspire not just to have it for themselves but also for those with whom they most fiercely disagree. Yet almost half of those polled felt most Americans are less tolerant than they were five years ago, while 35% saw less respect for freedom of speech. Nevertheless, the responses suggest that the freedoms we cherish form a psychological bedrock that won't be easily surrendered. So, as Americans fire up the barbecues, go out to the ball games and set off fireworks Tuesday, our continued freedom is something to celebrate - while pausing a moment, too, to be thankful to Menchaca and other troops who have paid the ultimate price defending it. Reply with a "Thank you" if you liked this post. _____________________________ MEDIANEWS mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
