NOTHING LIKE JULY FOURTH IN BOSTON
Patriotic past gives meaning to celebration and reflection
We are truly privileged to live in the place where our freedom was born, and amid all the tumult of political debate and disputes, it is important to remember and value what we have today — the liberty that was given to us by the sacrifices of those who came before. Today is a day to both celebrate and reflect.
Walking into downtown Boston yesterday with my wife and grandson Braeden, we were stopped by John McCarthy from East Boston, a retired city of Boston Community School program worker, outside a Dunkin’ shop. He recalled something I had said years ago on another Independence Day, when I was mayor of Boston.
“It wasn’t about politics, or promising them what you as mayor were going to do for them, and why they should vote for you, but how lucky we all were to be able to celebrate Independence Day, July 4th, in the historic city of Boston. I’ll never forget it,” McCarthy said.
“You reminded us about the heroic struggle for America’s independence and the sacrifices that the men and women of our country had to make to ensure our freedom going way back to 1776. You mentioned our heroic patriots
of two centuries ago, right here in Boston, but just as importantly, all the military heroes of two world wars, Korea and Vietnam. Even today, the heroic struggle for peace and justice in the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands of decent Americans died for people they never met.”
I’m proud that Boston is where freedom and democracy all began 243 years ago, and my friend from East Boston remembers how important it was to me and all Bostonians.
But we don’t live in the past.
Yes, there are still many struggles ahead of America. Some foreign, others domestic, but all of them are important to our great nation. In honor of all who fought and struggled over these years for the strength and stability of our country, please let me highlight what I believe are some of the major challenges ahead of us, which I intend to fight for, without regard to political party, race or ethnicity. These values are consistent with the struggles we came together for, right here in this city, on this day, 243 years ago.
If you can’t attend the reading of the Declaration of Independence at the Old State House this morning, do something equally important.
Tell your neighbors that you intend to help make American families healthier and more prosperous, that you want to help make America a more united country, committed to the principles of equal justice, dignity for all and the protection of the most vulnerable.
These values don’t belong to a particular political party or candidate, but are the ones that I learned and witnessed growing up in a country and neighborhood where we may not have been considered the elite or influential of society, but we learned through experience and observation that it was good enough to make our country the greatest nation in all of society.
This message is dedicated to all the people who may never make the history books or headlines, but are the ones we honor, celebrate and remember this Fourth of July, American Independence Day. We will never forget their memory.
God bless all these known and unknown heroes. America’s birthday is really your day.
Let the bells in Boston ring loudly today and let’s salute our great country.