It is Independence Day, not the 4th of July...

In Great Britain they honor the 4th of July, by not declaring it a holiday. Although that seems to be the day the colonies in North America put their foot down and their dukes up. Or just proclaimed in written form, in English, that they were listing the reasons for leaving the links to the Crown behind. Links could have been chains of slavery, but they weren't. But they did know that Great Britain did not love them any longer. Those that held fast to the certain glory of the Crown would be driven out of town and home, and enlarge the Empire elsewhere.

  Even the military might that was defeated by the Continental Army and the many Militia units that sprang up like weeds, did much better in India and Africa and stomping on the best little general from Corsica. I have three heroes from the Revolutionary War, Daniel Morgan, Benedict Arnold, and George Washington. Only one was trying to build a nation and an army that could defeat the one from King George. Daniel Morgan was just trying to be very effective on the battlefield of the entire wild wilderness called America (and he brought rough men that shot far and weren't afraid of anything except lace and white linen and smooth talk), Benedict Arnold was always trying to better himself and would risk everything for that and did in the end get caught beyond the position of honor... They each had a story, a part in making of America and none of them would sign the Declaration of Independence, perhaps only General Washington would read a copy somewhere along the line.

 In them days, as now, the grunt work of revolution was done in swamps, fields, mountains and meadows - in every kind of weather, in face of terrible injury and illness, lacking food and shelter and not many kind words. The people paid a heavy price for that idea of Liberty. An idea that today no one would give me a dollar for, since the dollar could buy me a lotto ticket with a chance at millions but Liberty just gets me a spot under a bridge when it rains, and chased by Law Enforcement because I could be a problem (might have a gun, be evading taxes or community service or after the children) best to move that illegal person along.

Today is for picnics, food and feasting, fireworks and friends --- it is also a day to re-read the Declaration of Independence and see what we have lost as we got soft and dependent on the bounty of benevolent government. A day for fairy tales that don't always end happily ever after. Do re-read the document, the Constitution is longer but it too is shorter and lighter than the paper chains around your life.