Nelson’s Corner | December 2024

The United States Of America – 1776-2024

The United States of America, a country that became world renowned for freedom and justice, died on November 5th at her home in Washington, D.C. The United States was 258 years old.

The office of the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide at the hands of 76 million of her own descendants. The homicide appears to be a collateral effect of an epidemic of raging stupidity.

The United States was born in 1776, the child of immigrant parents who had come to North America seeking freedom from religious oppression. Her grandparents were born and raised in Great Britain and her early years were consumed by a struggle to establish independence on her new continent. She succeeded, despite violent resistance from her forbears. Over the years they reconciled.

Life was challenging for the United States, but the drive for discovery and self-reliance forged a strong and enduring identity. Unfortunately, her drive and ambition came at the expense of the native people who had, for centuries before, occupied and cherished the continent. While sporadic efforts were made to compensate native people, at the time of her death, much work remained.

In the 19th century, a moral crisis interrupted her development, resulting in several years when she suffered from a Dissociative Identity Disorder. The several identities clashed violently from 1861-65. While subsequent therapy partially mitigated the disorder, vestiges of the conflict remained until her death, with a flare-up in the decade before her passing.

Her middle years were a period of astounding growth. She expanded her sense of the possible and became one of the world’s most prolific artists, innovators and entrepreneurs. Many of her inventions dramatically changed the world for the better. 

Perhaps these years were most distinguished by her generosity of spirit. She welcomed beleaguered women, men and children to enter her embrace. She adopted them as her own and watched with great pride as they forged their own lives, adding richness to the mosaic of their new home and adding immeasurably to its vitality and diversity.

In the 20th century, she was faced with her greatest challenges. Twice, the world faced potentially cataclysmic threats. She joined with her grandparents and other allies and justice prevailed. The cost was immense and she, along with the rest of the world, lost many children to the unthinkable ravages of war.

During her later years, she expanded the concept of justice, demanding equity for all her children, regardless of race, gender and sexual identity, religion or origin. In the years before her death, she suffered great pain as these hard-fought gains withered under pernicious political assault. She was particularly shattered by the reversal of rights for women and girls. Tragically, in recent years, her spirit of generosity and compassion was further broken as some of her children built physical and metaphysical barriers to prevent continuing assimilation of immigrants.

While she made mistakes, as we all do, her legacy includes the inspiration she offered to others who sought to offer liberty and justice for their own children. The loss of her example is deeply mourned around the world.

She leaves behind hundreds of millions of children and many generations who benefitted from her grace and wisdom.

Among her most notable survivors are:

Alexander Hamilton, Abraham Lincoln, Margaret Mead, Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Billy Collins, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Otis Redding, Thurgood Marshall, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Thelonious Monk, Harriet Tubman, Rachel Carson, Barack Obama, George Carlin, Ella Fitzgerald, Albert Einstein, Arthur Miller, Audre Lorde, Mohammad Ali, George Gershwin, James Baldwin, Arthur Ashe, James Earl Carter, Will Rogers, Dorothy Parker, and Tatanka Yotanka.

The family asks that memorial contributions be made to:

Planned Parenthood

American Civil Liberties Union

Southern Poverty Law Center

Lambda Legal

Americans for Immigrant Justice

Or a justice organization of your choice.

Memorial services will be held in communities of conscience every day until Tuesday, November 7th, 2028.