250 YEARS……WHAT ARE WE DOING?
Earlier today, I was included in a group email from Father Anthony Shonis, one of my old religion teachers, a priest who taught at Owensboro Catholic High school and just a sterling human being. He asked us: “What makes an American an American?”
On this July 4 weekend 250(!) years after those guys in Philadelphia signed that Declaration, this struck me as a good question. Here are my thoughts(and I speak only for myself, not presuming to speak for Yellowbanks PAC):
For most of my life, politicians have told us, and I have believed it, that the United States’ government structure is unique in the history of the world: fairer, freer, and more advanced than any other form of government yet attempted. A “shining city on a hill”.
What does that mean? That means that the soul of our nation is built on IDEAS, not religion or skin color or site of birth or occupation of some “homeland“ for some arbitrary number of generations.
These ideas include:
ALL PEOPLE are created equal. Everyone, regardless of citizenship status, is entitled to basic human rights, including due process and equal justice under the law. No locking away anyone, even illegal aliens, indefinitely and without charges. (This is wrong under God‘s law as well). It is just not right.
Everyone —and I do mean EVERYONE—should be subject to the rule of law. King George III was above the law and that is one big reason the colonists rebelled.
For a civil society to be a civil society, everyone must renounce political violence.
There should be no government suppression of religion, AND there should be no government bias in favor of any one religion either. No one should be compelled to undergo indoctrination in any particular religion.
The founding fathers structured our government, not to suppress or outlaw or punish disagreement, but to harness those disagreements with checks and balances without any one person or group ever achieving permanent rule. No predetermined election outcomes. No refusing to accept the results of elections.
For me, another aspect of being an American is taking pride in our history of helping to make the world a better place. Encouraging democracy around the world. Providing humanitarian relief where there is famine and epidemic disease. Not abruptly canceling vital assistance leading directly to hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Another aspect which has made me proud is that we have encouraged scientific research based on evidence. Our great scientific institutions, especially in the medical field, but also others, have been the envy of the world. Why? Because they have been allowed to follow the scientific method, free(mostly) from political domination.
Can any honest person of good faith, in 2026, contend that our nation is following these principles right now?
John Mulligan