“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” This is the American Creed. These revolutionary words are among the most {1}

important that have ever been put to paper by the mind of man. The story of America has been the great struggle to close the gap between the perfection of that ideal and our flawed present. The struggle continues. We are an imperfect nation comprised of imperfect people. {2}

We are a nation OF the People, By the People, For the People. Let us recognize at long last on this July 4th that means all of us. We are the only nation in the history of the world to be founded on the power of an idea and an ideal. That idea has lit the darkness and been a {3}

beacon to the hopeless and oppressed for 244 years. We are the only country in the history of the world that is comprised from all of the people of Earth. We are the only nation in Earth where every language of the world is spoken somewhere everyday. The United States {4}

has fed more people, cured more people and liberated more people than all of the other countries of the world put together since the beginning of time. We have been the epicenter for scientific achievement, medical advancements, exploration, invention and commerce for more {5}

than 100 years. The American story is always one of becoming. It is the story of confronting our sins, injustices, hypocrisies and failures and moving ever closer to being that “shining city on a hill”. This July 4th, let us all renew our devotion to the great American Republic

Let us understand that it is our collective duty to forge a more perfect Union and to fight to close the gap between our injustices and our perfect ideal. America is suffering this July 4th because we are burdened with the worst and most venal leader in American History {7}

Trump is an affront to the concept of American excellence and dignity. He shames and embarrasses America, yet he is too small and petty to permanently stain the glory of our story. We are all connected together through this brief moment of time we share together as Americans {8}

We are also connected through the ages to the Americans who have bequeathed this great and imperfect experiment to us and those yet born who will one day take our place as custodians of the Republic. We are stewards for a brief time of the greatest Constitutional Republic {9}

In world History. Let us resolve to strengthen it and love one another as countrymen and women in a land where no one is less than and everyone is as equal before the law as they are in the eyes of God. We have work to do. Regard it as an immense privilege to be able to do so {10

Happy July 4th! God Bless the United States of America and the memories of the Men and Women whose sacrifices for freedom, equality, justice and decency beggar the imagination. Let us follow in their righteous path. Let us be Patriots anew. Let us be grateful today on the 244th

Anniversary of the independence of THE United States of America.