Happy Fourth of July!
To everyone celebrating today, I wish you a joyful, peaceful, and inspiring Independence Day.
The United States has given the world remarkable examples of courage, innovation, generosity, and resilience. The American people have repeatedly shown that free individuals, working together, can achieve extraordinary things. Your optimism, creativity, and willingness to help one another continue to inspire people across the globe.
At the same time, many people feel that political decisions do not always reflect the values and wishes of ordinary Americans. It can sometimes seem as though powerful interests have greater influence than the voices of the citizens themselves. Yet history has shown that lasting change often begins with people who refuse to give up on liberty, responsibility, and mutual respect. There are encouraging signs that new ideas and new generations are determined to address these challenges and help move society in a positive direction.
On this day, may the ideals of freedom, human dignity, and the pursuit of happiness remain stronger than division.
And to close, here is an English translation of the opening verses of Friedrich Schiller's famous poem:
"Joy, bright spark of divinity,
Daughter of Elysium,
Fire-inspired we enter
Your heavenly sanctuary.
Your magic reunites
What custom and division have torn apart.
All people become brothers
Where your gentle wings abide.
Whoever has been blessed
To find a true and faithful friend,
Whoever has won the love
Of a devoted soul, let them join our song.
Yes—even the one who can call
A single soul on Earth their own!
But whoever cannot,
Let them quietly leave this gathering."
These words became world-famous through Beethoven's Ode to Joy, which was later co-opted by the European Union as its anthem. - But that is a story for another day.
Happy Independence Day, and God bless America.
quotingGM - Happy Fourth of July!
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