Stardust

Is today about fireworks and hot dogs? Or is it a celebration of our nation, and how it came to be? Has Independence Day become too commercialized? Most of the time you hear people say "Happy July 4th" or "Have a nice 4th" rather than "Happy Independence Day."

Everyone should take a moment today to recognize the sacrifices made by those who helped to establish this country, and those who spend their lives today protecting it. Whether you agree or not with politics, or wars, or "causes" that our government chooses to get involved in, please remember that our soldiers are people just like us, putting their lives on the line because they believe in this country.

"He's not just a soldier, he's somebody's son;
He's not just a soldier, he's somebody's love;
He's not just a soldier, he's somebody's friend"

Many years ago, a friend of mine sent me "The Price of Freedom" which I have posted below. I think this serves as a reminder of why we celebrate today.


THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more.

Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fougnt our own government!

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: Freedom is never free!!

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Super 32 Challenge - November 1, 2008
NC Mat

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can" -- John Wesley

RYou

http://www.maylin.net:80/Fireworks.html

JensenS

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2925803

Chestnut: 66
Kobayashi: 63

USA, USA, USA, USA!!!!

ISU2008

Yeah, but what was with the announcers saying he was a great American hero and an inspiration to the country?

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I think all radical muslims should skateboard. After all, they are radical.

hardcore

We Americans take pride in our gluttony. Joey Chestnut has given us back our pride and is a role model and inspiration to our youth!

hardcore

Stardust, sorry about the hijack. That was an amazing article. I just shared it with my 17 year old son. Thank you.

RYou

Where the heck does it all go ?

BonnieJ2

What happened to my Cub Fan post?

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"A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

BonnieJ2

I'm serious about this. Jensen, Schlottke, why was my post deleted? It seems like pretty heavy handed censorship.

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"A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

BonnieJ2

I wasn't under the impression that this was a board where we all had to wave the American flag and pretend that everything is apple pie on the 4th of July, but after I posted this photo it was deleted:

I said something like "For Cyzappa and any other Cub fans out there - I took this photo at our parade today. You know it's bad when the ultimate in passivity, the 'wait-til-next-year' Cub fans are protesting."

No private message to explain why it was deleted or anything. I asked why and I got no explanation. I waited for several days because I know people are on vacation and all, but still I have gotten no answer to my question. Was that so bad to get yanked from the forum??? I don't know who was the moderator that deemed it unacceptable, but it seems to me to be unreasonably harsh. It was no more political than the post that began the thread, so I don't think it should have been deleted because it was on the wrong forum.

Ironically, here's the rest of the photo:

Dissent is Patriotic! (Dissent was crucial to Independence.)

and here's the group marching right behind them, the Unitarian Church:


It's not all apple pie, but is it that bad that it needs to be deleted???

Peace,
Bonnie

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"A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered." -Ralph Waldo Emerson