America’s 250th birthday should not be viewed as a denial of our problems. It should be viewed as an opportunity to remember who we are, where we came from and what principles have allowed this nation to endure through wars, depressions, social upheaval and countless challenges.
The recent article floating around Facebook by Oliver Kornetzke paints a picture of America as though our history is little more than a collection of failures, injustices and misplaced priorities. It points to poverty, addiction, crime, debt, political corruption, failing infrastructure and cultural decline.
Many of these concerns are real. No honest American should deny them. But a nation should not be judged solely by its problems. If that were true, every nation in human history would stand condemned.
From a Biblical perspective, the existence of problems does not prove the failure of a people. Scripture teaches that all nations are populated by fallen human beings. The question is not whether a nation has flaws. The question is whether it possesses principles capable of correcting those flaws.
Gratitude for God’s blessings and repentance for our failures are not competing virtues. They are partners. One keeps us humble; the other keeps us hopeful.
America was founded upon revolutionary ideas: that our rights come from God, not government; that power must be restrained; that laws apply to rulers as well as citizens; that individuals possess inherent dignity because they are created in the image of God.
While not every Founder was a perfect Christian, the overwhelming influence of Biblical principles upon our founding documents, institutions and culture is undeniable. Historians such as David Barton have spent decades preserving and documenting evidence of that influence. A nation that can no longer celebrate its virtues will soon lose the motivation to correct its faults.
The Declaration of Independence does not appeal to kings, parliaments or military power. It appeals to “Nature’s God,” a Creator who endows humanity with unalienable rights. That was a radical idea in 1776 and remains a powerful truth today.
The article mocks the celebration itself, suggesting that a nation facing problems has no business celebrating. Yet families celebrate birthdays while facing hardships. Churches celebrate anniversaries while acknowledging past mistakes. Nations can do the same. Gratitude and self-examination are not opposites. They belong together.
The author sees a wrestling arena and concludes America has chosen entertainment over substance. But millions of Americans see something different: a nation commemorating 250 years of survival, sacrifice, achievement and freedom. The celebration is not the problem. The problem would be forgetting why the celebration matters.
This country has produced more charitable giving than any nation in history. Americans donate hundreds of billions of dollars every year to churches, charities, disaster relief efforts, hospitals, food banks and ministries. When earthquakes strike, hurricanes devastate communities, or famine threatens distant nations, American generosity is often among the first to arrive.
America has lifted countless millions out of poverty through innovation, enterprise and opportunity. We developed life-saving medicines, pioneered modern aviation, helped defeat fascism in World War II, stood against Soviet communism during the Cold War and have been a refuge for generations seeking freedom.
Millions continue to risk everything to come here — not because America is perfect, but because America remains extraordinary.
The article points to government failures. Fair enough. Yet many Americans find it curious that billions of dollars in waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement can disappear with relatively little public outrage, while private donations used to improve national facilities or host historic celebrations generate fierce criticism.
Surely a nation capable of spending vast sums on programs that often fail should also be able to provide dignified facilities worthy of hosting world leaders and national commemorations. The United States should not have to rely on temporary tents and portable facilities when welcoming dignitaries or celebrating milestones of national significance.
Most importantly, the article assumes that America’s story is primarily about government. But America’s greatness has never rested solely in Washington. America’s greatness lives in families who raise children with values, churches that serve their communities, business owners who create jobs, teachers who inspire students, first responders who answer calls for help, farmers who feed the nation and ordinary citizens who quietly do what is right when nobody is watching.
The Bible reminds us that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12). That does not mean God blesses every decision we make. It means that a nation’s strength is ultimately found in its willingness to acknowledge Him, pursue righteousness and repent when it strays. This is achieved by individuals in their own choices in how they lived their lives.
As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, perhaps the most patriotic response is neither blind celebration nor relentless condemnation. It is gratitude for what God has done, honesty about where we have fallen short and determination to preserve the freedoms entrusted to us.
America is not great because we are flawless. America is great because generations before us were willing to sacrifice, build, innovate, pray, fight, work and dream in pursuit of liberty.
Their story is worth remembering. Their achievements are worth celebrating. And their unfinished work is worth continuing.
A healthy patriotism does not ignore the cracks in the foundation. It remembers the foundation itself — and works to strengthen it for the next generation. Come now and let’s agree that there is much to celebrate and remember.
JoAnn Melton is a resident of Mariposa County.
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