Paul Moomjean

When I was a high school U.S. history teacher, I made it a point to teach the full story of American history. It was important to acknowledge the mistakes, but also understand the options available when those mistakes were made. Through time and reflection many people are able to see the folly of their ways and make restitution. That is the story of what America wants to be and tries to be and while failing often, eventually does find herself on the right side of history.

Happy birthday, America! On July 4, the Land of the Free will turn 250 years old. What a time to be alive. Sure, America just essentially lost a war to Iran and the economy is struggling, but at least the president is blaming everyone but himself. Yet, enough doom and gloom. It’s time to party, and the best birthday gift America could have gotten was watching the NBA title go to the New York Knicks, the most American city with a team that won in the most American way.

I’m a 44-year-old single man. The oldest millennial in the room. Some would even call me a Xennial, as I can be in a room with Gen X (people born between 1965 to 1981) and feel just as comfortable as with millennials born in 1996. I’ve always felt like I was part of a lost generation. A generation that got to experience all the joys of 1980s and 1990s pop culture and technology breakthroughs, while also being forced to keep up with every changing whim of America whether I wanted to or not.