America remains great — and it’s up to us to keep it that way
When Benjamin Franklin* — the greatest American to not serve as president, with a strong case for being the greatest American, period — was asked what kind of government the Founding Fathers were giving its citizens, his response was brief and telling.
It was Sept. 18, 1797, the final day of the Constitutional Convention in his home city of Philadelphia. Elizabeth Willing Powel, a well-known and highly influential woman in what was then the fledgling nation’s largest city with about 40,000 people, asked Dr. Franklin how the United States of America would be governed.
“A republic, if you can keep it,” he said.
So far, through wars, political upheaval, turmoil, economic strife and numerous other challenges, we have. The United States is celebrating its 250th anniversary this week and millions will don red, white and blue, toast the greatness of our nation, enjoy fireworks, patriotic music and summer fun.
The Fourth of July is always an entertaining time with good summer food, games for kids and a concert, topped by an impressive fireworks show at dark. It’s an American tradition that we enjoy each summer, with hot weather, cool drinks and lots of smiles and sandals evident.
Tradition is a vital part of the health of a community, a state and a nation. We observe dates and honor the people who made an impact on all of them. It’s proper and appropriate that we continue to do so.
While we are marking our semiquincentennial — the term for a 250th anniversary — we need to learn more about our history while examining how we can continue to improve our nation and move past this current highly partisan, often fractious period. This is not how our nation should act.
We can and must do better.
We have at more difficult times, including a bloody and drawn-out Civil War that killed, wounded or injured 1.5 million people. We have endured many other wars, taking so many lives and impacting almost all Americans.
We have engaged in struggles to ensure equal rights for all people. That continues today.
We have suffered under depressions, recessions and economic downturns. We have also enjoyed extended boom periods as the USA grew into the mightiest economic power on the globe. That title has been challenged and we must find methods to keep our economy strong and growing.
The recent pandemic, which is blamed for more than 1.1 million deaths in the nation, was an example of a great challenge for our country. It caused grave concerns, sparked still-simmering debate over the source and cause, and raised havoc with our medical, educational and economic systems. But we were able to get it under control, as we did with earlier health problems. More still need to be conquered.
I believe all of those hurdles can and will be overcome.
We are inspired by many comments on America’s goals.
Barack Obama made it clear during his 2008 campaign for president.
“That is why, for me, patriotism is always more than just loyalty to a place on a map or a certain kind of people. Instead, it is also loyalty to America’s ideals — ideals for which anyone can sacrifice, or defend, or give their last full measure of devotion,” Obama said. “I believe it is this loyalty that allows a country teeming with different races and ethnicities, religions and customs, to come together as one.”
We can live up to the promise made more than two centuries ago and reiterated in recent years. It is up to all 342 million Americans to share that spirit so well expressed by Ben Franklin.
A republic? It’s up to us to keep it.
Fourth-generation South Dakotan Tom Lawrence has written for several newspapers and websites in South Dakota and other states for four decades. He has contributed to The New York Times, NPR, The London Telegraph, The Daily Beast and other media outlets. Do not republish without permission.
*Depicted above as a young printer in an image from wikimedia commons
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