Independence Day

I was listening to a local talk show this morning on the radio (The Troubleshooter) and he was asking callers what they did to celebrate July 4th, Independence Day. He said he seriously doubted that many people really observed the true meaning of the day or even had a discussion about it with their children--why is that? Most of the callers agreed that their celebrations centered around family, barbeques and fireworks but that the meaning wasn't ever discussed.

I find it sad. We take for granted in this country the rights and liberties we have and what it took to get here. If we, as present day Americans, existed during the Revolution with our present attitudes, would we have prevailed? Or would we have, as we are doing now, simply questioned why we were in the war at all and protested every decision? Because truth be told, we didn't want to be ruled by England or to be taxed by England, but we weren't physically assaulted. When British soldiers attempted to collect taxes they were assaulted. Eventually the Soldiers fired into a crowd of protestors (Boston Massacre) and 5 were killed. England believed they were in the right to tax THEIR colonies to help pay for the French and Indian war, but the colonists wanted independence and self-rule.

The truth is, we have a great system of governing. It is far from perfect, but we wouldn't choose any other. There are those who complain, but do nothing about it. There are those who protest, but still live here--if it's so terrible, why are you still here?

We have a great sense of independence in this country. If you don't like the government, you are free to criticize it...without fear of being beheaded, hunted down and killed. In general, you are free to choose to do anything that doesn't impinge on someone else's freedoms and liberties.

This Independence Day, and every subsequent, my children will learn about their government, freedom, and those who defended our freedoms.

This year, we are making tricorn hats out of craft foam and learning where England and America are in relation to each other. We're also going to color the Flags (colonial and current American Flag) and talk about what freedom means to us, today.

Ah, but you can't forget the yummy food, either! Tomorrow we're making red, white and blue layered jello and a flag cake to go with our barbequed meat and corn on the cob. Family is, after all, important too!