What today means to me
That is a tough thing to explain.
I want you to think about the last words in the Declaration. "...we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." After the Declaration in the next post, you'll read a story about the Founding Fathers, and how much signing that document cost them.
I am not normally a verbose kind of writer, you know that if you have read this blog. I make a point and let you decide to agree with it or not.
But today, with all of the festivities, I want you to remember how many people died to give birth to this country. A land where Freedom still means something. If you don't think we have the greatest system in the world, where anybody can become a millionaire, look at the people coming here. Cubans make rickety rafts and risk their lives across 90 miles of open ocean to make it to Florida. Chinese box themselves into shipping containers, no light, no toilet except for a bucket for months while the cargo ship makes it's way across the Pacific. Mexicans cross the desert to make it here. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, only the United States has immigrants from all over the world.
I was lucky. I was born here, I was able to serve my country for over 13 years. I understand what this precious and precarious thing Freedom is.
Freedom can be best described by these words, Rights, Responsibility and Respect.
Our Constitution does not grant Rights to the people, but it recognizes these Rights as God-given and is told to leave them alone. These Rights are inherent, the basis of all freedoms and laws in this country.
Responsibility should define itself, but let us do it for her. Responsibility means that there is a burden upon those who wish freedom, and that is the Responsibility for its upkeep. You are a poor person (in the ideological sense) indeed if you do not expend the effort to support this great country. Serve in the military, run for office, support those who run for office, protest something you are against, these are all expressions of responsibility towards America. It means that you care. I don't care what party you belong to, or what your views are, as long as you take action in the process we have to keep this ship afloat.
Last, but not least, Respect. A lot of people seem to forget that your freedom to swing your arm ends at my nose. Those that shout down ideas that are different from theirs is not taking part of the process. They are not being Respectful of the way things are done around here. We should be able to discuss both sides of the matter and if we can't reach an agreement, then we can agree to disagree. But, there are those who have the "my way or the highway" mentality and that is not conductive to our process. I am not saying you should abandon your beliefs, however shoving your beliefs down someone else's throat is not participating in the process.
Unfortunately, it seems the Left of this country, more than the Right, is all about stifling dissent and trying to "encourage" unity of thought and outcome. When instead we should be focused on unity against our enemies and equality of opportunity. I am truly sorry to hear about this, because it does not show Respect to others of this country.
Freedom is a precious thing, it has been in place here for 230 years now, and it can still be gone in an instant. Guard it with your lives, your fortunes and your sacred honor. Read the story two posts down and ask yourself if you could have risked everything you own on an idea, all for a word:
Freedom.