What Makes America Great
What makes America great? As we celebrate 247 years of freedom, it seems appropriate to remember why our country is still an incredible place to call home. In 2020, WNBA player Brittney Griner chose to protest racial inequality in our country by not standing for the National Anthem during a publicized basketball game. In February of 2022, she was arrested and imprisoned in Russia on baseless charges. After ten months in terrible conditions the United States government arranged a trade for her release, and Brittney came home.
When the WNBA season began this year, Griner returned to the court, and this time she chose to stand for the playing of the National Anthem. Here’s what she said:
“Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different… being here today, it means a lot.”
(Sports Illustrated)
The fact that Brittney Griner had the choice to stand or not to stand is what makes this country great. She was detained and imprisoned by a dictator in a country where she had no choice, little chance at a fair trial, and few rights. What makes our country great is not that Brittney Griner stood upon her return. What makes it great is that we have the choice to protest without fear of imprisonment, and we can choose to fight for the causes we believe in by staying seated, AND by standing up.
The United States is far from perfect and our struggles are hard and divisive. There is no doubt that the issues she was protesting in 2020 were real and important, and still remain. While I may never protest the way she did, the fact that Brittney Griner could protest these issues by refusing to stand for the national anthem is a foundation of our freedom. The reason we have survived for 247 years is because we are free to peacefully disagree about important issues. We are free to take opposing views and passionately defend them.
We are a country who makes mistakes and wrestles with our wrongs. With all of our warts and bruises, we are free to speak out, to learn, to grow, to challenge and yes, to change.
I believe that our best days are ahead for the US. We will continue to struggle and we will continue to disagree and we will continue to grow. We will continue to defend our freedom to do just that.
Happy 247 America! Still great and still free!
Larry
Check out our latest episode on the Crossing the Line Podcast:
Living Your Legacy, with Steve Shaw
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