FEATURE
THANK GOD FOR AMERICA
by Akeam Simmons, Pastor of Liberty Missionary Baptist Church
A
midst all the hardship and racial upheaval, I still believe in these United States of America – even though I am oftentimes judged by the depth of the color of my skin rather than the depth of my character. I must believe that America is better than this, better than the darken evil that pervades our streets and holds us captive…even in our own neighborhoods. We must not allow the ill actions of a few beguiled persons to cause us to allow ourselves to be thrust back to that darkened America, the America that was wretchedly divided over the human rights of some Americans (Americans of color). We must do all that we can, when we can, while we can, and for as long as we can, to right the wrongs amongst us – ever in love, for love will conquer all. Let us rise up, lest we forget who we are – citizens of the United States of America! Thank God for America – land of the free and home of the brave. I love America; I wouldn’t want to live any place else. It is home. Of course, like any family, we have our problems and our own issues; but still, we are a great nation, which is the reason why many people from other countries risk their lives to get here and have the opportunity to call these United States home. I love America because I realize that the best is yet to come. God is not finished with us yet. So many look at us and see our failures, our struggles, our setbacks, and fail to realize
10
cityofalabaster.com
that Americans, by nature, are overcomers. They forget we fought the American Revolution in 1765 and defeated Great Britain to form the United States of America; they forget that we fought our own Civil War in 1861-1865, over the moral issue of slavery – not a white America, or black America, but an America for all races, creeds, and colors, where all citizens can reach for the American dream. They forget that we, as Americans, overcame World War I in 1918 and overcame World War II in 1945, not just for ourselves, but to make the whole world a better place for all of mankind. That’s what Americans do. While they count us out, they fail to see that history has proven that America’s struggles, and failures, only strengthen us to be better – to forge ahead and press forward to that America that our forefathers dreamed of when they penned those eloquent, immortal words displayed in The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal …”
