I’ve been waffling al day about posting here today. Three days ago, on Canada Day, I decided not to say anything about that holiday.

It isn’t that there isn’t anything to celebrate about Canada, because there are many blessings that come with being Canadian. But we live in challenging times, and I felt I should point some of them out. At the same time, I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s party with negative thoughts, no matter how true.

The same thing trye holds for American Independence Day. There are many good things to say about the USA and its history as the country celebrates its 249th birthday today. For most of its history the USA has been a beacon, something the rest of the world aspired to be. And deservedly so.

I’m not sure that is the case any more though. But I don’t want to go into any long analysis to take away from today’s celebrations. The future may not look bright, but national birthdays are more about reflecting on the past than staring into the future.

So happy Independence Day to my American friends. Eat a hot dog, watch the fireworks and enjoy the party. Forget your national problems for a day.

Tomorrow you can get back to deciding if you still want to be America, or if you have decided to change your name to Amerika.