America, United States of
(b.July 4, 1776, d. September 28th, 2006)
An historic moment came yesterday when the world's oldest democracy, it's greatest and youngest nation quietly passed away in her sleep.
"The world is a darker place." lamented several saddened and tearful citizens. "I have known America my entire life, she knew my parents and my parent's parents and I am speechless with grief. We did all we could. I can't believe she is gone."
America passed away yesterday after a long fight with cancer; cancer of the congress specifically. Her ten year battle for survival endured two presidencies and several false remissons. She nearly capitulated her struggle in 1998 during the Clinton Impeachment hearings, but somehow she managed to push through.
"She lasted 230 years. She was a tough old broad, but history shows us that no gets out of this world alive not even the most vibrant, inspiring and hopeful democracy the world has ever seen", wept a Democratic senator.
Born in 1776 to a cadre of European revolutionaries who raised her to be different from any nation the world had ever seen, America was fortunate to be the daughter of many brilliant and attentive fathers. They shaped her (unwittingly or no) to be a beacon of hope to the world's citizens depite their own subjugation in depotic regimes. She welcomed those who were opressed, rejected or ignored by their own countries and offered them a chance at a new life. And, for this reason, she grew quickly and grew strong. So strong that at the tender age of 85, she survived a breath-taking attempt on her life with the help of her friend and protector, President Abraham Lincoln.
Once a fragile and insecure nation, she grew to be the true leader of the world, serving as a bellweather for new democracies that began to spring up around the globe.
"She led by example." said former president Bill Clinton. "The world felt safer just knowing she was there. Even if they were poor, vulnerable and a stricken populus, other nations knew that help could be asked of her and more often than not, she gave and gave much. She offered money, medical supplies, food to starving populations, protection and did so with no expectation of reimbursement."
Her greatest and most historic moment for which she is best remembered was, ironically, her amazing and improbable victory over the forces of fascism in Europe in the 1940's. The same type of fascism that eventually took her own life, she smashed for the good of the entire world and showed them them a better way.
Never a wall-flower and always controversial, America did her best, but admittedly had some notable and egregious lapses; Rwanda, Darfur, East Timor and many others, yet her mystique and unfailing optimism again and again perplexed, befuddled and eventually won over a war-weary world who felt the flicker of hope in their own lives take hold because of Amerca's resilience.
Recently, even though she refused to be slowed down, coddled or pitied, her illness had clearly taken it's toll; she had one of her basic insitutions, fair voting, removed during a painful operation six years ago in 2000 that people close to her said she had never truly fully recovered from although she maintained a brave face. She also had her fourth estate amputated under mysterious and controversial circumcstances. Through it all, however, her hope remained as did her citizens;
"She had endured so much, survived so many trials that no ever really thought she could ever really die. But looking back that was foolish, complacence and naivete." said a constitutional scholar.
As is the way of life confronting death, America fought to the end. Ironically, her optimism, grace, generosity and faith that helped her live so long were betrayed by her congressional cancer and even as she gave ground again and again the cancer eventually spread into her heart of hearts; spread into an area no doctor ever thought the cancer could spread to -- eventually did; her foundation, her soul, her greatest asset as well as her sometimes most frustrating trait; the heart that pumped her blood, the congressional cancer carved habeas corpus right out of her broad and warm bosom.
Without habeas corpus, America's heart slowly subsided and faded until no heartbeat could be detected. And she lie there still and peaceful. Gone.
And so on the afternoon of September 28th, 2006, America, like so many great and admirable entities in history, passed into and became a part of history. She went gently into her goodnight. Many of her citizens did not even know that she was ill, never mind that she had passed. Upon seeing the deep sadness and fear from some of their fellow citizens who DID know and cherish her, many of these reacted with shrugging disdain at the "over-reaction", thinking that they had known her too, but in reality had, in foolish complacence and naivete took her for granted--even in death refusing to admit to themselves she was gone.
As my father would most likely say if he were alive today, who fought side by side with her in World War II, who passed away days before her mortal wound inflicted on September 11th, 2001; The wound that metastisized her congressional cancer,
"She will be deeply missed and her absence will most certainly be felt for generations to come."
Rest in Peace