The 98 Percent Also Serve

I’m not quite as exuberant as John Adams was on this day in July 1776, but I am celebrating that historical moment—the birth of American independence and the eventual formation of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”  Adams proclaimed that this day, July 4th, ought to be commemorated, “as the day of deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty.”  I agree whole-heartedly.  Thank God for America in spite of all its flaws and plead for God to mend them--every one of them!  Adams also thought the day “ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and illumination from one end of the continent to the other from this time forward and forever more.”  He didn’t mention family barbecues in the back yard and a beer or two, but if he were with us now, I know he’d support the barbecue—I’m not so sure about the beer!

We hear a great deal these days about the one percents.  One percent of our American population have a household income above $434,458.  Another nine percent of the population aren’t doing badly with a household income above  $179,000.  That leaves ninety percent of the population making less.  

Another one percent of that ninety percent serve in the United States military.  Donald Trump wants to honor that one percent today with his “Salute to America.”  There is nothing wrong with that except for the fact that we have other holidays to honor our military.  The Fourth of July is about our independence from tyranny, as demonstrated in the summer of 1776, when some colonists celebrated the birth of independence by holding mock funerals for King George III, as a way of symbolizing the end of the monarchy’s  tyrannical hold on America.  (I’m not suggesting we do that now).

What I want to say is that the birth of our independence was not for just the top one percent, or the top 10 percent, or the military one percent—but for all the people regardless of income and regardless of whether or not they ever served or are serving in the military.  

Retired four-star general Stanley McChrystal pointed this out in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper this week when he suggested that the values of citizenship and service could also be observed by honoring Peace Corps volunteers.  On Independence Day there can be no honoring of the one percent (no matter how much our military deserves such honor) or of the one percent at the top in terms of income.  

We often speak of the military these days as giving us our freedoms.  This is a fallacy.  Thomas Jefferson was not in the military, neither was John Adams or Thomas Paine, but they served and built the foundation upon which our independence was born and on which it depends.  Teachers, pastors, priests, professors, fire departments, ambulance services, doctors, nurses, writers, artists, technicians of all kinds and types, community organizations (the list is endless) also serve in providing us our independence.  

The Fourth of July is for the 100 percent!  It is to honor our independence, our national life—an independence provided by all citizens, because all citizens serve in a government “of the people, by the people and for the people.”