Among the comments was this one:
"America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!"
Thank you; my favorite stanza of this poem, and a relevant one in our times, as it was in the times of Bates.
Wittingly or unwittingly, the lines touch upon a broad subject, one with which this nation still must come to terms: every freedom FROM something must become a freedom FOR something better. Freedom to act freely must be followed by learning the wisdom not to act wantonly; the "soul" that strives for self-betterment must control the temptation to trample upon others; the freedom to possess is not the right to beggar another. A people free from tyranny has, more than any, the great obligation to willingly build a just society, and accept the obligations and self-control that come with that.
We are adrift as a society. Let us hope that the price of finding our course will not be terribly high.
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