Today it is important to remember that “WE” are the people– a fact easily obscured by I, me and selfies. Our values as Americans–liberty, justice, freedom, tolerance and inclusiveness–are expressed and lived as “we the people”.
We are not a selfish people; we care for each other as evidenced by the off duty fireman pulling a husband and wife from their crashed plane on the Santa Ana Highway.
John Meffert, an off-duty fire captain from Avalon on Catalina Island, who was driving down the freeway when the plane crashed. The 17-year veteran got out of his car and pulled the two occupants from the burning wreckage.
Or the thousands of Facebook friends who respond with kindness when a mom ask for help to make her sons birthday special. We give and give. It is the American way.
As we gather with friends and family in our community to celebrate our independence let us not forget that our individual actions and inaction have a collective effect. Today
choose to be kind, civil, compassionate and generous. Our challenge is to walk the talk and remember that “we are the people”.
Happy Fourth of July.