Gratitude and Hope for the American Way

As I was reading a column by Charles Krauthammer, a column which is very critical of the President I strongly support, it occurred to me just how fortunate I am to live in a country that respects freedom of press and all of the fundamental freedoms that are necessary for a free society to discuss and work for the common good. It also occurred to me that the existence of these freedoms and the commitment to let them structure our lives strengthens our nation.


At a time when Americans worry about the presence of terrorism, environmental threats like global warming, and the ascendancy of China—a nation with enormous potential to create wealth without enshrining fundamental human rights, it is important to reflect on our history. In the 1980s, some thought that communism was so strong that eventually the USA was going to find itself an island among a sea of authoritarian socialist countries. That did not happen. The reason that did not happen was that our freedoms strengthened us. Our openness to inquiry and our commitment to individual liberty allowed us to develop technological systems that the Soviets could not even dream of. Gorbachev himself has admitted that it was the technological superiority of the US that led him to seek openness and dialogue with the West. He knew the Soviets could not win. It might seem strange for a religious educator and spiritual writer like myself to use such language when discussing the cold war. The fact of the matter is that a fact is a fact whether you theologize about it or not.


Speaking of theologizing, the theological roots of freedom are profound. Thomas Jefferson, highly critical of much of the theology of his day, wrote that the roots of freedom are the self evident truths written by “nature’s God.” The theological roots of progress are also profound. Jefferson saw them written into human nature. He knew that each generation would seek to build upon the achievements of the past. He wrote in 1816:


I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions. But laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.


As we approach November 2, I hope that I can let my mind rise above the din and appreciate the debate and mud-slinging as the fruit of freedom and progress. Democracy is a messy business because it flows from human freedom. Some people, even some Americans, prefer to let others think for them rather than think for themselves. Some are afraid of freedom. Some look at the behavior of Congress and lose faith and hope. They want a cleaner situation, one without human frailty. They want answers now, when in many cases, truth, goodness and justice are discovered throughout a rather messy process. Some just dream of a golden age and golden tradition that have never existed, but have been concocted by them to justify their groups clinging to power. I am grateful that the human mind is restless and that its restlessness requires living by our fundamental freedoms. In living by these freedoms, we triumph over authoritarians—Marxist, terrorist, and other wise. In living by these freedoms, we will slow and end global warming. Only in living by our freedoms will we progress.