There’s a lot of things to whine about in this one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The health care system is still a mess.  We disagree about things like why “assault weapons” should be a little more difficult to get your hands on.  And Congress, the institution that is supposed to help us through all this, seems to be making it worse.

But then something like the email that I got this week pops into your life to remind you that despite the cracks in our Liberty Bell, there’s still no better place to be.

Every once in a while, I get these super flattering invitations to speak to students, arts executives, high net worth investors, and the like.  And what’s doubly cool is when those invitations come from outside the US, and I get invited to a foreign land to help spread the gospel of The Broadway!  (These foreign invites are just another bit of proof that my prediction is gonna come true, btw.)  Since part of my mission is to amplify the conversation about Broadway, and since I believe the global audience is such a growing demographic, I’m usually halfway to the airport before I can even reply.

This week I got one of those emails.  And it came from an exotic and far off land that is on my bucket list of places to go.  And while reviewing the information I got about what would be expected of my “talk,” I was informed that the shows I included in my talk should not involve such topics as . . . politics, religion, sexuality, infidelity, transsexual themes, violence, dating, etc.

I’m sure your mouth is on the floor just like mine was.  (And how ironic to be asked to speak about drama . . . when I wouldn’t be allowed to talk about anything dramatic . . . I mean what’s left?)

I got mad, of course.  And I’m not going (although I probably would have if I could have gotten some details worked out, just to see if I could push the envelope and broaden a horizon just a teensy bit . . . while avoiding jail).

But then I smiled.

Because I realized despite the fact that my co-pay for my general practitioner is $75 (if I can even find one that will take my “insurance”), and despite the fact that rich lobbyists shape more of the laws than Congress, we’re a pretty fortunate group of people, and on days like today, we need to remember not to take what we have for granted.

I can produce what I want.  I can go see what I want.

Heck, I can even write a blog with strong opinions that may upset a lot of people . . . without the risk of having someone knocking on my door five minutes after I publish it looking to make me disappear.

We’re lucky to be where we are.   We’re lucky to be “independent.”

Happy Fourth of July, all.

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