The Wisdom of the Founding Fathers

"And the rockets' red glare
The bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there."

 Our country was founded on noble ideals put forth by slave-owning men who saw no reason to treat women as equals or people of color as anything but less than human. The history of our government's treatment of native peoples is appalling. Making a country seems to be as messy and unspeakable a process as making sausage -- you'd rather not see what goes into it.

We've improved, over the years. I don't think even the staunchest conservative who yammers on about the principles of the Founding Fathers would argue that slavery was a good idea or that women shouldn't have the vote.

Yes, we've come a long, long way -- but we're  not there yet. It will be interesting to see how this democracy thing works out -- maybe in another hundred years or so -- if we haven't blown up the planet or rendered it unlivable in some other way.

 Looking back, I find I've pretty well repeated last year's post -- down to the flower arrangement I make every 4th with hydrangeas for clouds and crocosmia and Queen Anne's Lace for firworks -- or rocket's red glare.


I dislike sounding so negative -- I love this country -- but I want it to be as fine as the most rabid patriots think it is.  And it won't get there by blinding ourselves to our shortcomings.