America at 250: The Future of America Starts in the Neighborhood
As America approaches its 250th birthday, many people are asking what kind of nation we want to become. Some are looking backward. Others are focused on the next election cycle. I find myself thinking further ahead. What is our dream for America at 300? What do we hope this country looks like when future generations celebrate the tricentennial in 2076? I won't be alive then, but I do still remember 1976! My answer to the question about America 300 may seem surprisingly simple: I hope Americans know their neighbors. I hope children grow up on streets where adults know their names. I hope neighborhoods are filled with front porches, conversations, block gatherings, and acts of everyday kindness. I hope loneliness is less common because people have rediscovered the power of local relationships. I hope we become a nation where neighboring is not viewed as an unusual activity but as a normal part of citizenship. For years, I have studied neighboring and community connection. Again and ...