"I AM AMERICA" told by Don Harp

For years Don Harp, my former pastor, wrote an article , “I AM AMERICA.” He would stand before the congregation and give his patriotic address the Sunday before the Fourth. Treat yourself this 4th of July and sit down, put on some patriotic music, laugh, remember, and celebrate. If you don't live in Georgia you won't get all his references, but you can replace them with your own. Enjoy!

I AM AMERICA

I am the voice of Patrick Henry, the pen of Francis Scott Key, the artistic needle of Betsy Ross and the midnight ride of Paul Revere.

I am the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, the Spirit of St. Louis, Amelia Earhart giving women an early vision of what one can accomplish, The Kennedy Space Center, and Delta being ready ready when you are and now is number 1 on time airline.

I have a sense of humor in that a pizza can be delivered to your door quicker than an ambulance can reach your house, where banks leave both doors open and chain cheap pens to the counter, where hot dogs are sold in packs of ten and buns in packs of eight, and where drug stores make the sick walk to back to pick up prescriptions and cigarettes are sold up front. Go figure!

I am back country dirt roads, interstates that cross-cross my vast country , the curving streets of San Francisco , the narrow streets of Boston , the moving parking lot called Georgia 400 and the mess called Spaghetti Junction.

I am flag of red white and blue hanging from the front on many of my homes, the pageantry of my flag being presented at events from business to sporting events, reminding all of the price paid by so many who never returned home in order for my freedom to continue so when presented PLEASE STAND TO GIVE HONOR TO THOSE WHO PAID SUCH A PRICE. ANYTHING LESS IS LACK OF GRATITUDE FOR WHAT THEY GAVE.

I am America and currently in conversations of who can and cannot use what bathroom, little boys settled for themselves long time ago by finding a a tree for relief not sure that works for all, but if you end up in a ladies room remember to put the lid down.

I have always stood for freedom and the real worth of a country is the test of how many want to come and how many want to leave and the many who want to come understand that AMERICA IS THE LAND OF THE FREE AND HOME IF THE BRAVE.

I am politics and none more revealing in my capitol city of D C where the tweets of Trump, the fading memory of Biden, and the frustration of the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice trying time decide if he is conservative or liberal.

I am famous people and places, Washington’s Mount Vernon, Jefferson’s Monticello, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, George Washington Carver’s Tuskegee Institute, San Francisco’s Chinatown, and the Little White House in Warm Springs, Ga.

I am ribs in Chicago, grilled veggies in California, Turnip Greens in Ludawici , fried green tomatoes in Social Circle’s Blue Willow,

And two dogs walking with onion rings at Atlanta’s world famous Varsity.

I am a nation that loves to laugh and I have lost some of my best, George Burns, Johnny Carson, Erma Bombeck, and Lewis Grizzard just to name a few, but keep laughing it is one of my treasured resources .

I am bar b q and among some of my best include, Tops in Memphis, Franklin’s in Austin,

Big Bob Gibson in Decatur, Alabama, Dirt Road Bar b Q near Valley , Alabama and the best in Ga Fresh Air in Jackson, Ga.

I have some unusual names, Accident Maryland, Santa Claus Indiana, Ding Dong Texas, Cabin Creek W. V., and French Lick , Indiana.

I am East and West, North and South, and this writer loves South best cause fixing to, tote, y’all, and bless your pea picking heart are understood to be good grammar. In our great state of Georgia Elvis was not ours, but Ray Charles, Brenda Lee, Trisha Yearwood , and Alan Jackson are. We have had some pretty good Athletes as well, Ty Cobb, Walt Frazier,

Wilma Rudolph , Luke Appling, Johnny Mize, Davis Love, Bobby Jones, The Yates Golfing Family, Cecil Travis, and Herschel Walker just time name a few.

I am a nation built on a faith in God. That is how I got started. My first President said,

“We cannot expect national morality to prevail if we exclude religious principle”. Ben Franklin said, “He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of the Christian faith will change the face of the world “

If we have any chance of emerging from this trilogy of our current a better nation it must be as we move the nation to a faith in God relationship. We have fallen prey to the secular progressives and look where we have ended up. “There is a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.” We have been wounded and by the Grace if God we can become whole again. Let us begin the journey on this national Birthday weekend.

It was by dawn’s early light where proof was given that my flag was still there. The RED, WHITE, AND BLUE has stood for freedom for all the world to see and never, never ever forget those who have stood up for, fought for, and far too many gave their very life that this freedom shall not pass from the face of the earth. Always say thank you to a veteran and any one wearing the uniform of our USA.

GIF BLESS AMERICA ON THIS BIRTHDAY WEEKEND.