31 May 2021 – Today is Memorial Day, and so I sat and thought about what today represents. We are always reminded of those who died serving our country and their families. During last night’s NASCAR Coca-Cola 600, the race was stopped for a moment of remembrance and announcer Mike Joy recited part of the Gettysburg Address.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. – Gettysburg Address

To live in a country where we can do and say almost anything as long as we are not hurting others is a true gift. It’s as close to heaven or the Garden of Eden that we can experience on Earth. God created a world where we were given everything we could ever need or want, but we, those created in His image, messed it all up. Now, we, the people who have been granted liberty and justice for all by our founding fathers and those who have fought for and died for our country – are messing it up. Instead of living our best lives and enjoying all that we have, we are angry because others have more than us or we perceive they do. Why do we always mess with the great gifts we are given.

Liberty and justice for all. All includes our gay neighbors, our black coworkers, our Hispanic shop owners and the transgender clerks. It also includes those we love, those we don’t like, those we know and those we don’t. All includes police officers and doctors, janitors and engineers, children and the elderly, people who look like us and those who don’t. All means all! We tend to compartmentalize our neighbors assigning each set their own set of liberties. We think the rich deserve a smaller percentage of what they earn just because they have more. We think the poor have less because they don’t work hard enough. The truth is that many of the charities and organizations can only exist thanks to gifts from the wealthy. The truth is that many of the poor work much harder than we ever will. We think people who come to this country illegally are criminals and should be turned away. Many of these people are escaping oppression or poverty or danger we can’t even imagine. We think theft is theft. If someone steals food to feed their children, they are as guilty as the guy who steals a television to buy drugs. We think illegal drugs are bad, but we are selling more alcohol each year.

The truth is that like every person who first came to the New World to have a new beginning and find religious freedom and escape their old lives – every story, every situation is different. The American way would or should be to give every person and every situation the benefit of the doubt. The benefit of the doubt. The founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution similarly to how I believe the Bible is written. Like God, the founding fathers trusted us to interpret each situation in the best way possible. It is not our job to hurt others – we are to love one another and help one another be the best we can be. The Declaration of Independence even states that all humans have inherent, inalienable human rights: “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” This applies to all people.

Yesterday was a big day in US auto racing. First, the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500, also called “The Great American Race.” It was won by Helio Castroneves from Brazil. He came to America and has realized an amazing dream four times. Later in the day, the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 was won by Kyle Larson. Kyle’s mother is a Japanese American who spent time in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Her son is now at the top of his sport in a country that once kept her prisoner. Only in a country like the USA can people with these backgrounds rise to the top of their sport.

The United States of America is a country of opportunity, but we aren’t always willing to allow everyone to have equal opportunity. If we really consider ourselves Americans – we must support our neighbors in their dreams. Offering them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Those we remember today died fighting for us. We owe it to them to fight for others.