I've been listening to a song lately. It's on loop while I make meals, wash dishes and do laundry. It says I am going to see a victory. The first line says, "The weapon may be formed, but it won't prosper."

Just words you may think. It's a nice idea, but the circumstances are overwhelming. Actually that's been said before. A few times.

Recently I was with a group of friends, and the conversation included stories of our nationalities. As usual my mind began to wander. I was listening to the hyphenated identities with the word American listed last. I think of this as an improper fraction. The United States of America is a place that began as an idea. The idea is stated eloquently in the Declaration of Independence. It reads, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by thei…