Happy Fourth Of July!

Happy 4^th of July Independence Day!

As an American I should take great honor in this holiday, but along the way I feel I lost the meaning of this day as so many tend to do. This day is usually filled with families and friends gathering around a BBQ, watching fire works and drinking a few brews. That is not me, yes we have had our occasional BBQ on the forth, pigged out and sat around watching TV or movies.

For those who know my blogs I love the movies and as you can see this is from the blockbuster film Independence Day with Will Smith and V for Vendetta. Although we are not under attack from aliens, although I would take that over this pandemic we still are in dire needs to peace in our nation , of unity and now destruction from those who want to bring the US to its knees. I am reminded of these images of those who wish to destroy the US and remake it into a new Amerika foreign and domestic.

A Whole New Meaning in 2020

But this year should have a whole new meaning to the importance of independence day as we celebrate the declaration of independence. For those reading this are not from the good ole USA, the Declaration of Independence is a pronouncement adapted by the Second Continental of Congress meeting at the Pennsylvania state house in Philadelphia on July 4^th 1776. The declaration explained why the Thirteen colonies at war with the Kingdom of Great Britain regarded themselves as thirteen sovereign states, no longer under British rule. With the Declaration, these new states took a collective first step towards forming the United States of America. The declaration was signed by representatives from New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

In the United States Independence Day is a national holiday marked by fire works, BBQ’s and typically this is day most have off because it is considered a federal holiday.

The fourth of July of course is not without criticism as in 1852, Frederick Douglass gave a speech now called “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” at a time when slavery was still legal in southern states, and free African-American elsewhere still faced discrimination and brutality. Douglass found the celebration of “justice, liberty, prosperity and independence” offensive to enslaved people who had none of those things. The Declaration asserts that all men are created equal.

It’s so important to not let the true meaning of this holiday get lost and the importance of it today. Although its nice to think we have come far since then and with out a doubt we have, we still deal with racism and hate in this country that has not been eradicated and probably never will be because others choose to want to treat others as less than equal. In our country we are starting to open our eyes and the people are truly fed up with being put down by a system that can do better for its citizens. No one should have to be in fear of being discriminated against or hate, we should all be able to walk out our door and feel accepted but that’s rarely the case.

As we are currently going to a pandemic, murders and violence continue to rise, racism, hate is getting worse and the future looks bleak but lets not lose hope. The thing I look forward to is the generations to come who we hope will lead us into a better century, we can only hope.

I do feel that we as a country are ripe for an awakening which could be good or bad as there are those out there who will look to take advantage using violence and hate to get their way. As a Christian I do believe we also need a spiritual awakening but who knows if that will ever happen, I see Christians hugely divided among each other as man seem to be the worst spreaders of hate and self-righteousness.

Some of you may be asking what does this have to do with Independence Day? It has to do with it because the fourth signified a change for the better , of unity in what would be the future of United States, men and women who loved the country to make it better. Although there are many who wish to make this country out to be better, many equally want to tear this country apart, even those who proclaim to love America.

Let’s open our eyes to this fourth and appreciate what we have and let’s all as people know we are real danger of losing of freedoms not due to Democrats and Republicans, although they could very well lead to those loss of freedoms, but the citizens of this United States who wish to bring their hate. I guess in the US we are free to hate, but that does not make it right.

I know this 2020 will be completely different as the in fighting has already begun to act as its 1999 or even 2019 but it isn’t. We are still in a pandemic, stay home with family, BBQ at home, wear your damn mask and lets move on from pandemic and have a great 2021 Fourth celebrating hopefully the end of pandemic and more freedoms returning to our lives like being outside, shopping again, getting out and living our life as normal as can be.

I Love the US and I know that each day Men and Women are fighting to keep our freedoms alive, but lets remember it can not be done alone it requires its citizens to value the freedoms we have. Many do not truly appreciate what we have. Although we are free, that freedom could one day disappear if we can not keep the republic:

Let’s remember we live in republic not ruled by a monarchy, a king, a queen , a prime ministers, not by democratics or Republicans or even an emperior , but we by the people for the people lets keep it that way and remember our independence.