God Bless America.

It’s a song – one you’re likely going to hear a lot in the next few days.

It’s a prayer – one that is really, really needed these days.

It’s a cliche – one used far too often by those who think they are better than everyone else today.

This Saturday marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I mention this just in case you’ve been in a soap opera-style coma for the last year or so.

A 250th anniversary is called a semiquincentennial. Yes, I had to look it up.The term translates to halfway to 500 years. Do you see it now?

I have to admit, I think it’s a pretty big deal that we’ve made it this far. I’m pleased I am around to see it, too.

250 years of democracy is an accomplishment. Consider what it means. A whole bunch of people – currently around 350 million – have to agree to let elected representatives decide what direction our government will go. If they don’t do what you want, you can always vote against them the next time around.

And while there have been some rough patches, it has worked. There has always been a minority opposed to the party in power, but they’ve almost always been a loyal minority – loyal to the concept of a democratic government, at least.

There’s no doubt that we’re in one of the rougher rough patches right now (especially if you live in California). We have leaders attempting to redefine who qualifies as American, redefine what a representative election looks like, and redefine what it means to be a patriot.

There’s also a whole lot of profiteering going on as we reach our 250th birthday. It’s pretty much a tradition of our form of capitalism to sell merchandise around any holiday, and this is a big one. Heck, I got a 250th anniversary hat for Father’s Day.

Still, I think it’s just tacky for someone in power to make money on Fourth of July tchotchkes, especially tchotchkes with their face on them. Apparently, some people don’t care if they look tacky, at least if it increases their bank balance.

Speaking of bank balances, do we really need a $250 bill? I guess it’s halfway to a $500 bill – but we don’t have that either, do we?

(Fun fact. There was a $500 bill for a while, with President William McKinley’s picture on it. It hasn’t been printed since 1969.)

There are lots of parties planned – it’s pretty cool that the Fourth is on a Saturday, isn’t it? I’ll miss the Big Bang on the Bay, along with most of Long Beach. I can only imagine the bash John Morris would have thrown.

The city’s trying to make up for that loss by adding fireworks barges along the coast. That way, more people can get up close and personal by sitting on the beach and the bluff.

I won’t be there – I don’t have to take pictures for the paper anymore. Besides, it’s a sure bet I’ll be up close and personal with plenty of fireworks in my north Long Beach neighborhood – fireworks ban be damned.

But let me get back to the fact that this really is a pretty big deal. I know that 250 years is not a long time compared to European history (the Old Country is really old), but the fact we’ve managed to stumble along in the land of the free for two and a half centuries is pretty cool.

The American dream, the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, is alive and at least comparatively well.

Is it perfect? Of course not. Is it better than most of the rest of the world? I think so.

As a newspaper guy for most of my life, you can bet that the freedom of speech is near and dear to my heart. I continue to fight for that right every day. Again, that isn’t perfect here, but it’s a heck of a lot better than in most places.

One part of that freedom is to allow people to have their say even when we don’t agree with them. I’ve made that argument more than once, too. I hate it when the disagreements turn nasty or when someone tries to stifle my right to free speech. Nasty happens, but that freedom must prevail.

I believe I am truly blessed to live in this country of ours. I am proud to be an American. My flag will fly on the Fourth of July, because it stands for freedom. That’s the American way.

So I’ll say it again.

God bless America.