National sovereignty is a fundamental ideal of the American nation. Sovereign states are those that have “complete autonomy and self-determination” concerning their internal and external affairs. Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States wrote that “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.” Jefferson penned these words ever so eloquently 250 years ago in Philadelphia, this very great city of ours. Now, the American people must take Jefferson’s words seriously.

We, the people, must reflect. Do we uphold and respect the values of a government whose powers are derived from the consent of the governed? I argue we do not. We are currently under the leadership of a racist tyrant who perpetuates wickedness and evil and was actively involved in a pedophile’s inner circle, despite claiming to be a Jesus follower.

The United States has a history of staging foreign coups to impose leaders who will be favorable to it. We have supported dictators in much of the Global South to fit our aims, and now, blatantly and proudly, we are fighting an impending war on another nation’s behalf against the wishes of our own people and without proceeding through the constitutional methods.

The U.S. is now unashamedly hypocritical in its beliefs of national sovereignty. The U.S. operators must take themselves seriously. Unlike what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump seem to believe, evil will not overcome good.

On the 250th anniversary of our nation, Americans must stand up for the values our country is said to stand for. Americans must come to terms with our ugliness and reform this nation to be a land in which life is “better and richer and fuller for everyone.” A land of true stardom is one that has addressed its evils and seeks the greatest ethic, one of love.