Thoughts stemming from the commemortation of 9/11:
                     

“America the Beautiful” celebrates the ideal of our nation that inspired Heroes “who more than self their country loved.”  A key to bringing our reality close to our ideal is that we good citizen be crowned with brotherhood.

Crowns are usually associated with monarchies, not democracies, so think about checkers, where crowns are earned by good plays.  The crown bestows each king with increased power and flexibility.  A king will move in any direction to improve his side’s situation.

Brotherhood, in this sense, is the recognition that each of our fellow citizens is a member of our extended family.  Each member of my extended family has a distinct personality and set of opinions.  There are few subjects where we all agree, so we each contribute a unique strength to the family.  Our discussions do not lead to conformity, but often increase our mutual understanding and acceptance of our differences.  We seek a course of action that respects the needs of all of us rather than seeking to get our own way through a divided vote.

We cannot create a nation where “cities gleam, undimmed by human tears” by engaging in power struggles between different interest groups.  We need a population that unites in brotherhood.