GRATITUDE

[Perknose]

We, here, are all keenly aware of all that is wrong with our country. The list is fundamental and monumental. And yet, I, personally, yearn if not ache for the delusions of my childhood. The sight of our flag, Old Glory, or songs like America The Beautiful, heard or seen in the right context, can still bring a sentimental swelling of pride, or even a tear to my eye.

We stand in the shadows of our founding fathers, who did an exquisite (if flawed . . . all human endeavors are flawed because WE are flawed) job of bequeathing us a framework, an aspiration of a polity where we hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL 'men' are created equal. We have been crawling, however hesitantly, towards that ideal ever since. I want to believe we'll get there. I NEED to believe we'll get there.

And so, on this anniversary of the founding of our grand experiment, I ask you, my fellow posters, to post herein in some measure of gratitude for all we have, as Americans, to be grateful for.

 

[Perknose]

Stand and sing it, loud and long.

 

[cytg111]

I take it GOP is on their yearly excursion to Russia today?

(sorry)

 

[nOOky]

We are in dire need of rain here, it finally came around dark. The lightening show was in direct competition to the folks shooting off their massive supplies of fireworks. I wonder how much was spent on them, there was some huge shit going off around us, and we are rural. Reminds me of New Years Eve one year in Buenos Aires. At least I had two of our dogs snuggled up against me tightly, shaking.

As far as America goes this is a beautiful, diverse country. Many other countries I have visited have terrain equivalents here. Colorado has many views that remind me of Switzerland, Wisconsin looks like the north island of New Zealand quite a bit, and the Bighorns in Wyoming remind me of the Dolomites.

As for the people, there are good people and bigots everywhere, although my part of Wisconsin seems to be very Trumpanzee heavy. America is a place people seeking to better themselves still flock to heavily, it is perceived that you can achieve whatever you work for here. In my view immigrants make up the American dream, people who come here believing that ideal, while many Americans simply seem stuck in a rut and busting their ass gets them nowhere. God bless America.

 

[MrSquished]

There are a few things I love about America - the first is the diversity and how it is represented in certain cities, with the one of a kind city in the world being NYC as the main example. A crossroads of cuisine, art, and culture, from probably the most diverse population overall. And other cities and metro areas that have beautiful and diverse things to offer in other parts of the country. The one-note areas do nothing for me, but they are a good contrast from which to have gratitude for the areas with actual flavor.

Also the grand nature we have in parts of the country. Not really in flat land but more in the West and East regions. The variety of natural beauty we have in parts of this country and ability to explore it is a blessing.

 

[BoomerD]

 

[Jaskalas]

The relative freedom of movement and of association is nice.
I am grateful for the Western Civilization for which we stand. For which I was born into.
It is a privileged time and a privileged life.

 

[kage69]

I'm still so thankful that America let Joe Biden and the Dems hand out pink slips to Team Treason in 2020/22. It was an uphill battle given repug deceit, suppression, intimidation and outright illegal acts. Just truley grateful that so many people in the middle, the left and even many on the right realized they've had enough of these treasonous clowns. And that was before Roe v Wade. The bullet America (and especially Ukraine) dodged there with Trump's loss, the general repudiation of Team Treason *whistles* And then the fact that it was all followed by an effective presidency that continues to win. Lots of close calls there, things could have really gone to shit with Putin laughing all the way.

Now who's laughing Putin?

Not having a sociopath Russian asset as CiC pleases me beyond measure, Joe will forever have my gratitude.

 

[Moonbeam]

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863

Happy 4th

 

[FelixDeCat]

Happy Independence day!

...and to think, we might have remained the "13 colonies" had it not been for the Stamp Act (among other things):

^Someone selling authentic stamps from the American Colonial period.

 

[Ajay]

I feel blessed to live in this country. So, so many people around the world live under various dictatorships and other forms of oppression. Not perfect by a long shot - but a great country nonetheless, where we still see immigrants come into this country, start businesses and find success and relative happiness.

 

[Moonbeam]

And so, on this anniversary of the founding of our grand experiment, I ask you, my fellow posters, to post herein in some measure of gratitude for all we have, as Americans, to be grateful for.

I want to express my gratitude for your invitation here to improve my mental health. I think none would have made such a recommendation did they not already live with some of those benefits.

I would invite all to do a search for the benefits of gratitude. Here is one at random that came up for me:

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain

 

[Indus]

I'm just afraid of something like this happening to America because we asked for the craziness to take over in 2016

https://twitter.com/x/status/1676290532627062801