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Citizens of the Republic,
As you will have already seen in the about section, this blog is dedicated to the “restoration, revitalization and realization of American democracy.” A worthy aim. A lofty goal. A heartfelt endeavor.
Yet every story, as we know from childhood, has a beginning, a middle, and an end. So, if you are to understand the driving impetus behind the creation of this website, and its vision – it behooves us to start at the beginning.
We all have our crucibles in life. Those trials and tribulations, which in retrospect serve as defining moments in our development. For me, one such chapter was written in the aftermath of 9/11 when I was living abroad, roughly 8,000 miles away from the country of my birth.
Before 9/11 anti-American sentiment was not unfamiliar to me. It had surfaced upon occasion, from time to time, during the previous five years I had lived in Canberra, Australia; however, for the most part, such sentiments were rarely expressed. The attacks on 9/11 changed all of that.
In the months following that tragic day, I found myself getting kicked down stairwells, smashed into lockers, and developing a penchant for punch-ups – for I was an American, living abroad – and whenever someone disparaged my country – I refused to back down.
Now, please do not mistake me. I firmly believe in the special relationship between our two countries, and fully recognize looking back upon the experience, that middle schoolers in any country, in any era, can be cruel. Moreover, I am a proud Australian-American (my mum is an Aussie) and I shall be forever grateful to those mates who stood by my side during that trying time.
Nevertheless, whilst time can heal many wounds, some scars still remain. In this particular instance, I am speaking of one such critic who pontificated during that time: “America got what it deserved…and it will fall one day…like any other empire.”
Those words hurt at the time. They haunt me to this day. Nevertheless, if one were to ask me what bolstered me through those last few years of living in Australia post 9/11 (barring the stalwart support of a few good Aussie mates. Supra) I would state that it was the vision a thirteen-year-old had of his country.
I believed in the fundamental goodness of our people. I was proud of our accomplishments – and believed that we had so much more left to achieve. It was with this sense of hope, and optimism that I returned to my country in 2003 – ready to roll up my sleeves and work together alongside my fellow Americans to build a better world.
Nevertheless, two decades later, through two wars, two economic downturns, and an ongoing global pandemic which has claimed the lives of more Americans than WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam combined, a boy grew into a man – and watched his country grow increasingly bitter, divided, and despairing – not only of its present, but also of its future.
It, therefore, begs the question, are our detractors correct? Has our race been run? Has our song been sung? Is this the final chapter of our story?
No, it is not – for they know not the strength of our people.
Nor do they discern that common thread of resilience – woven into the intricate tapestry of our nation’s story – which can rouse our people to the fore.
More on this topic – in Part II: To Discern a City
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