This 4th of July, as Americans celebrate Independence Day, we should remind ourselves that all races and ethnicities are blessed by God for having America. Despite the hardship and difficulties that brought to Americans by some of the politicians and the Biden Administration, our path is still far smoother than the rest of the world.
Americans were not born to be divided with those who have immigrated to America. To celebrate America is to ask God to protect this land from inside and outside adversaries of this nation.
Speaking of America, a few days ago I was telling my Lieutenant at work about my life and experience in Iraq and my path to America and after becoming a U.S military interpreter. It is important to distinguish America from some of the U.S foreign policies which is written in favor of a political interests.
As we see sometimes see corrupt American politicians, we must be conscious to not be caught in a moment of anger to hate America. To believe that there is only one flag and one nation under God, other than that it is a delusion.
My friend Scott Dreyer’s June 27, column, “What Does The Bible Say About Pride?” took me back to the 1980s. I have lived under Saddam Hussain’s vicious regime and his pride and selfishness had blinded him. He perceived himself as a savior and a leader of Arab nations. In the end, his collapse was the result of pride and Iraq still has not been able to recover. I am compelled to quote one of the powerful verses that Scott quoted in his column “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves” Philippians 2:3 (BSB).
The declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, was the moment of our independence from Great Britain which became the path for liberty and civil rights of Americans later years. Obviously, an independent nation creates a terrain for people to organize and build a civilization. Therefore, the independence of America produced all the other rights within this great nation.
In fact, after the independence of America civil rights movements were able to be organized and civil rights leaders along with people protested, strived, and obtained their rights. Clearly, the declaration of independence has generated the power and the will of people to ascend.
This 4th of July, we must remember that the greatness of America is laying under God’s mercy. The celebration should be in praying and submitting to God with our conscience.
– Serwan Zangana supported Operation Iraqi Freedom as a U.S Army translator before coming to the U.S from Kurdistan, Iraq in 1997 to seek political asylum. He was granted asylum status and years later proudly became a U.S citizen. He currently serves as a correction officer in Roanoke.