Hellooo friends~
How did you spend your 4th of July?
We were happy leaving home in Asbury Park for the weekend, ok to avoid the tourist crowds. We’ve lost interest in the fireworks spectacle – environmentally problematic, and the whole “bombs bursting in air” thing. We knew we’d have a different kind of holiday in Hampton, New Hampshire and we were delighted to participate in holiday events with our son, Eric and our daughter-in-law, Carleigh Beriont, Congressional candidate for NH District 1.
This was a big one – the USA has survived two hundred and fifty years as the world’s oldest modern democracy. It’s worth celebrating, but it’s undeniable that the country is experiencing deep political and cultural divisions. Are you feeling it too?
I didn’t know until recently about the “250-year empire cycle”, which is a theory referencing civilizations which have lasted about 10 generations (or 250 years) before falling to internal strife or institutional collapse. Yikes.
Whether the theory is accurate or not, I believe that our survival as a democracy as the country navigates serious domestic instability depends upon electing people to represent us ALL. Enter Carleigh Beriont For Congress. Our daughter-in-law!
We arrived on Saturday morning, July 4th in Portsmouth with about 500 people sharing a naturalization ceremony with 101 candidates for citizenship from 42 countries! A little breeze kept everyone a bit less sweaty in the 90 degree heat under a humongous tent. Powerful speeches and the Citizenship Oath, and the beautiful rendition and lyrics of America The Beautiful almost brought tears, all giving me pause to reflect on what being a citizen of the United States means in the midst of recently feeling a mixture of anger and hopelessness, mixed with hope. Among the 101 new citizens were even a few from Canada and Finland who chose to become American citizens…
Here’s a FaceBook video of what it’s like to be a true blue grassroots candidate with no corporate money, not millions of family money, and real people supporting a stand-up campaign.
It was all kind of a blur as I recalled and wrote this, heading back to NJ, typing in the car, computer on my lap using a portable MiFi device, Michael driving in the pouring rain, me asking him which day and which event was which.
I wouldn’t trade this weekend for any other type of 4th of July holiday, except that the smallest grandkids were away with their other grandparents – but I know they had more fun swimming, and would’ve been pretty uncomfortable with all the marching and the heat.
We’re home now, learning that Asbury Park was hit hard with another storm – another BIG one – it flooded streets, businesses and residences, along with other towns that also lost power. Again.
This is our new normal. Luckily our basement was spared.
The moral of the story…this is all what it means to me to be an American.
Working together, family, commitment, belief in one another.
“If not now when, and if not me, who?” applies to Carleigh’s determination to see this through.
This is the ONE candidate who will represent everyone, literally everyone in the US when she is elected, who has the energy, the knowledge and experience, who understands the effects of climate change, policy, energy, and how we’re all going to be able to continue to live on this planet for generations to come.
Carleigh Beriont For Congress.
Onward~
x
Polli
