Happy 4th
Photo by Michael Barone
Happy 4th of July. Happy “Independence Day.”
Enjoy your BBQs, your cold beers.
Remember for a moment all of our friends and family serving our country, fighting to uphold wars that should never have happened, and to help create independence for those who do not yet have it.
Remember for a moment those in this country who are not independent, whose freedom and rights are not equal.
Those who can not marry. Those who cannot adopt. Those who cannot visit their loved ones in the hospital. Those who do not have insurance. Those who live in tent cities. Those who don’t know when their next meal is.
I am not saying don’t celebrate. I’m not saying to not be patriotic.
But please think. Think about what you ARE celebrating. Think about our country’s bloody history. Think about who and what we’re fighting for, and what we aren’t fighting for.
Be careful. Please choose not to drink and drive (or drink and boat). If you’re lighting fireworks, don’t blow yourself up (and if you live in a place where they’re illegal, please don’t light them and cause fires, kthnxby).
Celebrate.
But also pause and think about what this celebration means.
Happy Fourth of July!
-Essin’ Em
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Today we celebrate the birth of our country, all those years ago. We celebrate the birth of new possibilities, while at the same time our founding fathers knew there would be stumbles, errors, and things done that were just right out wrong. While recognizing the many things that are wrong, today we celebrate all those things that are right about our country and we celebrate the possibilities of new things that this country can do for her citizens and humanity.
This great YouTube video gets right to the heart of Independence Day. Our nation was born with a single document – the Declaration of Independence. Have you actually read it?
Few people get beyond “… Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” But it really is fascinating. It lays out all the justifications for separation from Britain. And it clearly states the founding ideals.
In this video, you’ll get a chance to hear the whole thing. It’s read by some of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities. But the words are the real stars. It’s not a perfect document. But it is one of history’s most important.
Happy Independence Day.
(and no, I’m not a Republican *smie*)
http://videos.komando.com/2009/07/04/declaration-of-independence/
Niiiice photo! I’m feeling much more patriotic now…
I’m a bit late to this but this was such a wonderful post. I couldn’t agree with you more and I am grateful for all that I have because I live here. :)