A message from
PEF Retirees President Steve Muscarella
‘Independence’ more than a holiday; It’s a patriot’s duty and privilege
As
we venture into summer, PEF Retirees hopes everyone enjoys the warm and
pleasant weather we experience in New York state.
Soon, it will be the 4th of July and we’ll celebrate our national
Independence Day holiday with picnics, parades, flags, fireworks, streamers
and balloons.
Let’s not forget, however, this day is a patriotic celebration of our
freedoms and all of the sacrifices made to gain and protect them.
John Adams, our second president, called it “the great anniversary festival”
of our country.
What is a patriot? Webster tells us it’s “a person who loves his native
country and will do all he can for it.”
So, Independence Day may be a day of thought and reflection on our civic
pride and the importance of our values, heritage and traditions as a nation.
Our third president, Thomas Jefferson, said: “….governments are created for
the service of the people,” and “no government is fit to live that does not
conserve the interest of the common man.”
Adams, Jefferson and the other leaders who founded this country did so at
the risk of being hanged for treason because they stood up to the tyranny of
a government that did not conserve the interests of common Americans.
Likewise, when we stand against government policies or practices we find
repugnant, no one should question our love or allegiance to America. We are
indeed being patriotic and demonstrating love of country when we confront
and challenge forces in this country that have forgotten, never learned or
never cared about the principles on which our nation is founded.
America’s ideals were not founded on special interest legislation, wasteful
political appropriations, leaders focused on power and financial gain, war
profiteering, greed, prejudice or disregard for the needs of ordinary
people.
Doris Kearns Goodwin writes in her book ‘Team of Rivals’ about the
convictions of Abraham Lincoln. “In Lincoln’s mind, the fundamental test of
a democracy was its capacity to elevate the conditions of men, to lift
artificial weights from all shoulders, to clear the paths of laudable
pursuit for all.”
So, as we celebrate our national heritage, let us be reminded that we are
true patriots when we:
• Insist that seniors be valued and respected in society;
• Stand up for union principles;
• Advocate for a better American health system;
• Insist our pension benefits and contractual obligations are met;
• Voice our concern over the prodigious national debt we are leaving future
generations;
• Use our strength and energy participating in the political process;
• Support leaders who care about seniors, working people and the poor in our
country; and
• Promote a culture of citizenship in America.
Happy Independence Day!
