America the beautiful, indeed

If you need a reminder of what makes this country great, ask naturalized citizens.

They'll tell you what it's like to live in terror. They'll tell you about pervasive poverty and disease. They'll tell you what it's like to be oppressed. Some will tell you about experiencing torture and abuse. They'll tell you what it's like to yearn for freedom, justice and self-determination.

They come here, because around the world, the United States is viewed as a beacon of hope. They come because America remains the land of opportunity.

What distinguishes the United States in that regard? Plain and simple, it's freedom. Americans are perhaps the freest people on the Earth, which is due to the liberties established by the Declaration of Independence and later, the U.S. Constitution. As President Abraham Lincoln said at Gettysburg, our nation was "conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

It is these freedoms we celebrate on Independence Day.

If you need further proof of this nation's greatness, consider its commitment to freedom elsewhere. We do not insert ourselves in the struggles of other nations to gain power or extend our reach. Instead, we seek to aid peace-seeking people who desire democratic governments and individual liberties.

Take the ongoing wars in the Middle East. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States has labored to help both countries establish free governments that recognize human rights. This was not done to colonize either country. It was done to further the interest of freedom.

Our own system of government and basic freedoms continue to be works in progress, even as our nation celebrates its 233rd birthday. Laws are tested in court. Lawmakers attempt to craft relevant and workable policies. The executive branch has the tall order of providing for our national security amid rocky economic times.

What should we take away from all of this? We live in a remarkable nation. The Founding Fathers and the nation's defenders have made this nation the envy of the world.

Today, we need to pause to consider America's greatness and the promise that continues to draw people from all places on the globe who yearn for the freedoms too many Americans take for granted.