Freedom Rings in Fast-Food World

Friday, July 2, 2004

Page 15

AT THE SIDEBAR (Column)

Freedom Rings in Fast-Food World

By J’AMY PACHECO

Independence Day. In my mind, mention of the holiday conjures up memories of day-long pool parties in my backyard, nights spent at the end of our cul-de-sac setting off mini-explosives designated as “safe and sane.” (And perfectly legal in my then-hometown, I hastily add.)

Coming as it does now, when daily news reports barrage us with horrific stories of atrocities taking place on far-off soil, the Fourth of July seems somehow more significant.

It’s easy to take what we have for granted here in the Land of the Free. We give little thought to sitting back and criticizing things American, from our politicians to our laws and our very way of life.

There is a great deal to criticize.

If I could change one thing about us Americans, it would be our collective desire for things to come quickly and easily.

I’ve long thought this tendency stemmed from our addiction to television, where mysteries are solved, wrongs are righted and stories are neatly wrapped up in the 30, 60 or 120 minutes it takes to air a program. We have a tendency to want to put things behind us—often before it’s time.

Lacking patience and perseverance, we’ve adopted a fast-paced way of life.

My eight-year-old has recently taken to adding her consumer desires to our grocery list. I noticed this weekend the list on the refrigerator door contained only two items, both obviously scrawled by a hand barely able to reach the page. One was “frozen dinner;” the other was “Lunchable.” Instant food, in other words.

Sunday, I put a pot of chicken and rice—made from scratch—to simmer on the stove. From her television-watching perch on the couch, my daughter said, “Mom. Something smells really good.” She seemed stunned by my declaration that I was cooking dinner.

“We’re not going to a drive-through?” she asked, incredulous, leading me to worry that the rushed dietary choices I’ve made for my contribution to the next generation may ultimately lead to the fall of the free world.

No pressure there.

Obviously, we have our shortcomings. But there is a great deal more of which we can be proud.

For the most part, we’re good, decent people. We take care of our homes, and others in need. When a pet or person is lost, we turn out in force to do what we can. When disaster strikes, we line up to donate blood, and stick stamps on checks that we mail to complete strangers.

We express outrage when it’s warranted, whether committed against us, or by our own. We seek justice, and although we don’t always succeed, we still recognize that ours is the system most likely to find it. We talk to strangers, we invent things, we spend enough to keep a lot of economic wheels turning.

And we give. Whether it’s money or other aid to foreign countries or service to our own, we give frequently and generously.

We’re not perfect, but there’s no doubt about it—we’re good people living in a great country. Regardless of what you may think about the guy who wants the words “Under God” removed from our Pledge of Allegiance, you have to be proud to live in a country where he has the freedom to make the argument.

So, whether you’re celebrating the Fourth with a backyard barbecue or a trip to a fast-food drive-through; a pool party, or an illegal fireworks display likely to earn you a closer look at our justice system, take a moment to reflect on what’s good about us Americans. And maybe give some thought to what you can do to make us better.

A few weeks ago, I wrote here about a Southern California teenager attempting to collect one million cards and letters for distribution to American soldiers. I checked in at her website (www.amillionthanks.org) this week and saw that Shauna Fleming has almost met her goal—she’s logged nearly 800,000 contributions.

Although the effort was initially intended for Military Appreciation Month in May, she’s going to keep going until she hits her mark. (Hey, maybe I’m mistaken about that lacking-perseverance thing?)

If you can’t think of anything else to do to celebrate the Fourth, why not take a moment to jot down some words of appreciation for somebody who will be spending their Independence Day in another way—watching for an activation notice, fighting for liberty on foreign shores, or lying in a Veteran’s Hospital bed reflecting on service past.

God Bless America. And everybody else, too.