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On this day, July 4, 1776, those that came before us, immigrants all, showing bravery so seldom seen today, declared their independence from those who oppressed who controlled their lives from across the Great Pond. Our fore-fathers sacrificed their fortunes, their families and their community standing. Instead, they chose to stand for principles in which they truly believed— a series of horrific sacrifices. As we all look back we should ask ourselves, “who were those simple people and how did they make it work as well as they did?”

“When hard times come to each of us, why are the reactions to dealing with this so diverse? Some of us demand that the Government do something about the problem. Some ignore it altogether; some pick up their guns and start shooting, some pick up their mouth American-flaggun and start shooting too. Some of us try to reflect back, now and again, and ask ourselves what those ancestors of ours would do in such and such a situation.  Who were they? Why did they take such risks when it would have been much simpler to continue the status quo or give up?

I believe they didn’t give up because they believed in God, and that the basic concept of neighbors really meant something to them. Also, the second component that worked in that society was debate and dialogue. These were as natural as breathing. It was a platform structure for meaningful communication, where ideas could be shared and debated for clarity and some ultimate determination or consciousness that one direction or another or another was the right way to go or the right way to solve a problem. Our modern society, for the most part, bends to the influence of mass media, and the “king makers”, and in so doing, has dangerously removed these wonderfully engaging platforms and concepts from us.

If you are at all engaged, even in some small way in wanting to make our own decisions, then, to some greater or lesser degree, you must make yourself aware of ideas and life around you, whether or not you agree with it.

I consider myself an American patriot. I feel that I must constantly search the soul of our country’s history, as I make up my mind each day on what is the “right” thing to do, in every single situation. How am I different than my ancestors who are first documented in America in 1720? My Father, My Grandfather and his father, along with aunts and uncles all shared my family history, its legends and songs and stories with me since I was a child.

The real bottom line for our family was to maintain a steadfast believe in God, cherish your family, believe in the ultimate goodness others, question those things you don’t know and disagree with, but supplement both positions by reading as much as you can about what you don’t know, and discuss it with everyone who might have something to say about it, whether they do or not, and debate your position vigorously with others regularly.

They felt that by doing these things, it would make them better Americans. Hand milking cows from my Grandfather’s dairy herd one day, while sitting on a three legged stool under a very large cow, Grandpa told me “the true patriot learns everything they possibly can about their own ideas and those that are alien to them. A good man (i.e., Patriot) tries to understand everything around him, seeks new ideas, remembers where he comes from  and the teachings of his elders, is neighborly, takes care of his family’s health and welfare no matter what, gets a good education, listens more than he talks, reads more than he listens, thinks for himself at all times, gets involved in debates when there is a position he feels is important to his God, his family and his country, and when he feels he is knowledgeable AND right, then he goes ahead.”

When we take the time to look at these wants and needs we each have, all of us should be absolutely amazed, in retrospect, at how much those who came before us got right about themselves and their role in America. The combination of respect that came from listening to their peers, asking other people their opinions and, when those diverged from their own, not yelling at them or ridiculing them, but trying to understand them and, just maybe, just maybe, finding one nugget of “idea gold” for use from that dialogue that may have proven a game-changer for all of their futures, and our collective futures, as we all struggle to exist.

When you make important decisions, reflect on them. I would ask that you add another ingredient to your decision-matrix and calculations and that it is this. Ask yourself this question. If I sat down and presented my argument and engaged in dialogue with my family, “what would they family think about my doing this.” Repeat that same procedure with your friends, your co-workers and anyone else you respect. Add your own smarts to the shared wisdom of these folks. Now, you are in a much better position to form a strategy for solving any problem, not just the one foisted on you by today’s pabulum mass media, or your own emotions your lack of knowledge, or the pressure to get something resolved quickly; all of these usually lead to bad choices and unrecoverable consequences.

Your ancestors had the same “bosses” putting similar life-choice pressures on them too. Don’t you ever forget that fact. Like them, you have the same degree of pressures, just coming faster these days due to multi-media availability in our lives. However, those same tough decisions must be made today, as they were then, on nearly every subject you will face in your life. The values and principles driving “right for you” decisions have not changed.

On any given subject, our forefathers formed an opinion, discussed their ideas with others and when they felt they had the right facts and it did not violate their core beliefs, they took action, as required. This process, not matter how trivial the outcome impact, usually involved seeking the council of others, matching their input with your own family beliefs, and then acting on those beliefs. The great platform that provided structure to this rational approach to understanding and society became the United States Constitution.

In small rooms, in farmhouses, cold damp basements, most often lit by oil lamps or candles, in quiet places of hushed voices, with danger all around them, they spoke eloquently and intensely about ideas. These were exchanged with fervor, tempered with respectful reserve. While some of these ideas were bold, foolish, even dangerous, and carried with them consequences that would ultimately become life-changing, a terrifying thought to those who stood on the sidelines and watched. It was all carried out with respect for the hard-fought labors of others, respect for dialogue as a civil means of communication, an understanding of the required role civility must occupy in national discourse if we are to not only live together, but to also survive in harmony.

On this day, July 4, 2016, I reflected on these thoughts, wanted to share them with you, read the Bible, went to play old-time music with my friends and share ideas and music, have a wonderful picnic, and enjoy the small family of man that surrounds me. God Bless You & God Bless America!

By Fred Coon, CEO

Stewart, Cooper & Coon, has helped thousands of decision makers and senior executives move up in their careers and achieve significantly improved financial packages within short time frames. Contact Fred Coon – 866-883-4200, Ext. 200