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The United
States of America, a country that became world renowned for freedom and
justice, died on January 20th at its home in Washington, D.C. The
United States was 250 years old.
The office of the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.
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. In the 19th
century, a moral crisis interrupted her development, resulting in
several years where she suffered from a Dissociative Identity Disorder.
The several identities clashed violently from 1861-65. While
subsequent therapy mitigated the disorder, vestiges of the conflict
remained until her death, with a flare-up in the months just before her
passing.
Her middle
years were a period of astounding growth. She expanded her sense of the
possible, 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 and
justice for all her children, regardless of race, gender and sexual
identity, religion or origin. In the months before her death, she
suffered great pain as these hard-fought gains withered under pernicious
political assault.
She leaves behind hundreds of millions of children and many generations who benefitted from her grace and wisdom.
Among her most
notable survivors are Thomas Jefferson, 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, Arthur Ashe, James Earl Carter, Richard Pryor, Will
Rogers, Dorothy Parker, and Tatanka Yotanka.
The family asks that memorial contributions be made to:
Memorial services will be held in communities of conscience every day until Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020.
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