Editor:

It’s been 247 years — happy birthday, America! America’s path has not been one without question — yet we have much to be thankful for. Our Founding Fathers, through spiritual guidance, came together to give us a document called the Constitution, and later the Bill of Rights, to give diversity of decisions to our various states.

Our Founding Fathers and their families suffered many injustices in their endeavors to give America a constitution that gave us the freedoms we have today.

My father, years past, as a professional photographer, traveled the world to document and share the injustices that others endure, and many still do today. As Americans, we are blessed, and yet we question every day what we have been given.

We live in a country of opportunity, innovative ideas, freedom of speech and education, yet many fail to acknowledge that we, above all countries, have been blessed. We thumb our noses at what America offers, rather than taking what we have been given and working together in a cooperative way to make America move.

America has had her trials — wars, a depression, economic ups and downs and inflation that we’re living with today. America is not perfect, nor is our government; but as we study our government candidates, their value system and their motives for America, we educate ourselves to vote the best way we can.

Keeping America safe and strong against adversity and false agendas should be our goal as Americans. We should strive to be the best we can be for America and in our concern for our fellow man. If we all strive to be educated, productive and fair we are achieving much in keeping America safe, strong and a country of honesty and outstanding integrity.

As President Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Strive to give your very best in all you say and do, and America will remain as we all should desire: the “best of the best.”

I love America, our American flag that flies above the Capitol to say, “We are America — we are strong. We are a country with high values, and we acknowledge those above who sacrificed that we might be all that we can be.” Happy birthday, America!

May we be blessed with another 247 years that prove to be even better than the last 247 years. We are America; we care for one another and we want to be a positive example to all others.

God bless America, for he has certainly blessed us with many gifts: land, minerals, freedoms, inventions, technology and educational opportunities to all who choose to grow. Let us all grow because of where we are. “When much is given, much is expected.” May we always give as expected, and may we encourage others to do the same.

God bless America each and every day as we strive to always give back. “In blessing others, we bless ourselves.”

Susan Miller Staley

Evanston