THOUGHTS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY

Admist all the anxiety about the next terror strike, it is important that tommorrow we remember to celebrate. We Americans are not the most self-reflective of people. The times are few and far between that we actually consider how uniquely fortunate we are to live in this country - the most powerful, prosperous and free country in the history of the world. That is not to deny the very real problems of this nation - patriotism should never be reduced to quietism - dissent and debate is very much American. Still, this nation has proven time and time again that when fully engaged, it is up to the greatest of challenges, internal and external. Those that hate America charge that it is a country of no values, hopelessly materialistic. They could not be more wrong. America, more than any other nation on earth, is a nation built on ideas. In a sense, where critics of America make their mistake is their confusion of idealism with dogmatism. Americans, more so than anyone else on earth, are resolutely pragmatic - sooner or later ideas that are not supported by reality are abandoned. Thus, our radicals and reactionaries remain consistently frustrated by the stubborn moderation at the heart of the American public. On the other hand, however, Americans are firmly committed to the ideals that underpin their nation - liberal democracy and individual rights. Any person who accepts these values can become a true American, while ideas that conflict with these values can never be truly American. The universality of American ideals is being challenged today from many sources - from the Islamists who believe in the superiority of their faith, to the relativists who believe that all values are hopelessly context-dependent, to our own culture warriors who selfishly cling to the notion that freedom, tolerance and liberty are somehow inextricably intertwined with "Western" culture. This Independence Day we should all take the time to recommit ourselves to these principles universality. To commit ourselves to bringing light to the vast numbers of the world that live in poverty and tyranny, and to strive ceaselessly to bring America closer to the ideals at its core.