This blog’s main purpose is to advance the amateur radio hobby. Delving into politics or non–amateur radio content is decidedly an exception. But how often does a nation celebrate its 250th birthday?
I was 15 when America turned 200, and I remember that celebration well. My family and I made our way to New York Harbor to see the tall ships gathered for Operation Sail, which became a centerpiece of America’s Bicentennial Celebration. My hometown of Kearny, New Jersey, had a parade and a spectacular fireworks display. It was a memorable time in our nation’s history.
A Nation Still in Progress
When this nation was founded, it was not set in concrete. It was never meant to be a finished work. America has grown over the centuries. What started as thirteen independent colonies became a nation — one that would grow to fifty states.
Along the way, our nation had to account for the national sin of slavery. Approximately 800,000 Americans died during the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln spoke truth when he said during his second inauguration:
“Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said, ‘the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’”
That dark period in our nation’s history advanced us to greater things. There were still tough times ahead — old things die hard — but the nation kept moving forward.
Innovation and Achievement
The coasts were brought together by rail. Oil gave birth to the industrial revolution. Two brothers in the sandhills of North Carolina conquered heavier-than-air flight.
The United States fought two world wars that not only set the course of Western nations but established America’s dominance in the world. We sent men into space. We landed on the moon. American medical science has made advances that have saved millions of lives. The computer age has changed every facet of our lives.
Challenges and Resilience
Some folks remind us that not everything in America is virtuous. We still battle racism, prejudice, government corruption, greed, and every other vice that can be named. But those things are not unique to the United States — all nations battle those demons.
For all the challenges we face, we are still the last, best bastion of freedom in the world.
Carrying the Torch Forward
On this July 4th, our nation celebrates its 250th birthday. Its people are still free. They still have a voice. The burden the Founding Fathers bequeathed to us is to carry the torch of freedom to the next generation.
So celebrate! Celebrate our beginning. Celebrate lessons learned. Celebrate the courage and determination to face the challenges before us, so that we can hand down a better America to our children and grandchildren.
🎆 Happy Birthday, America!
250 Years and the Great Experiment Continues.
K4NYM Radio 