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Don't forget why we celebrate

johnny amish

Regular Member
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Mar 9, 2010
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High altitude of Vernon County, ,
This weekend while we are celeberating the freedom of this country lets not forget the sacrifices of many so we can have so much. Take time to thank a veteran, educate a child as to why we celebrate this day. This day is about more than fireworks, parades and sparklers. 234 years ago this country started on a path no other country has ever seen. Freedom for it's citizens, freedom for them to decide the direction of their country. The Decleration of Independance, Constitution and Bill of Rights are three of the greatest documents a country could ever have, power given to the people. There are a lot of countries around the world that would love to have the freedoms that we enjoy everyday, this country is not perfect but we are still lucky to have the right to change things we don't like. Thank you to all our veterans past and present, without your honor and sacrifice we would not be here today.
 

Doug Huffman

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Jun 9, 2006
Messages
9,180
Location
Washington Island, across Death's Door, Wisconsin,
Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Washington's & Lincoln's Birthday

Please be careful with this conflation (reading together) of Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day. Each has a particular significance in American exceptionalism.

Conflated, these Holidays represent an opportunity like that that gives us "Presidents Day" and "Martin Luther King Day" rather than, as a nation, observing President Washington's Birthday, President Lincoln's Birthday. These are our peculiarly American 'saints'.

Each Holiday, secular holy-day, has its own meaning, keep them separate!
 

Citizen

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Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
SNIP The Decleration of Independance, Constitution and Bill of Rights are three of the greatest documents a country could ever have

I think we would do even better to celebrate the independent attitude of the citizens who still have it. The documents mentioned, mere parchment, can protect against nothing, can secure nothing.

It is the American Attitude, where it still exists, that will preserve what little freedom we have left, or get back what we have lost. The personal willingness of enough people to say "NO!" to government overreach, and the ability to enforce that negative, is the guarantor.

Let us celebrate, and thereby encourage, the personal character that demands freedom, that made 4Jul76 happen!
 

hardballer

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
925
Location
West Coast of Wisconsin
I think we would do even better to celebrate the independent attitude of the citizens who still have it. The documents mentioned, mere parchment, can protect against nothing, can secure nothing.

It is the American Attitude, where it still exists, that will preserve what little freedom we have left, or get back what we have lost. The personal willingness of enough people to say "NO!" to government overreach, and the ability to enforce that negative, is the guarantor.

Let us celebrate, and thereby encourage, the personal character that demands freedom, that made 4Jul76 happen!
+1

The problem with not forgetting what we are celebrating, is that one must know what the remembrance is all about in the first place.

I do remember but go ahead and ask any 12 random folk at the mall what July 4th , Independence Day is marking and you will very likely come up with ten or eleven blank stares and maybe one who has even a vague understanding of what it truly means to see that red, white and blue banner wave in the breeze.

I studied that banner this week. I put up several of them. The unique beauty of Old Glory. Knowing as I do, what it took for me to be able to fly this standard over my home brings tears to my eyes. Every time I hear The Star Spangled Banner, my eyes well up. When I see the stars and stripes flying, I know it stands for bravery, sacrifice, honor and courage. It has come to mean so many things but for me it stands for solidarity, liberty and freedom.

What bravery and courage it must have taken to stand against the Crown. Our Forefathers took their very lives and put them on the line for me. So I could have the freedom to raise our noble standard without fear of reprisal, put my hand over my heart, bow my head and take a moments meditation and say thanks for what they had done.

My words here are feeble but any really good, honest history text will bring you to tears, over and over again. I just read an article from the Library of Congress. They were able to use advanced technology to discern that when Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, not only did he cross out the a word and replace it with another, he scribbled it out and then wrote over it in a way that his new word disguised the previous word by interlocking the new letters with the old even through the scribble to be sure it could not be recognized.

What were those words, Well, he replaced the world "subject" with the word "Citizen". Thus expressing a new view of freedom and liberty, putting his neck in a noose with those words that are now so famous. That revelation today, ran chills up my spine. He was so adamant about those two words that he took such great pains to be sure the word "Citizen" was used and the word "subject" was obliterated. It should be noted that other words and sentences were struck through or corrected but this word, "subject" was the only word so thoroughly removed.

I read about and well remember, Valley Forge, Battle of Fort McHenry, Gettysburg, The Alamo, White crosses and monuments littered across Europe commemorating fallen American soldiers from two wars of the world. My father fought in Korea, I still shake Vietnam Vets hands, Same for Iraq I & II, and Afghanistan. Many Americans lost their lives, literally bleeding on the flag to ensure those stripes remain red. Some in places we've never read about.

So when I see people ignoring our flag or asking what's the big deal with the flag, Mexican or American? I remember. I know what the big deal is. We have fallen down and have allowed our children to be taught by socio/fascist, Liberals and now we reap the whirlwind. Hang onto your hats boys and girls 'cause from here it gets rough.

So, yes I do remember what the Stars and Stripes are about. I give those colors the well deserved respect that our flag deserves. Here our flag stands tallest. Because here we are Americans. It is our America. Our flag. Thanks for the thread Johnny Amish.
 
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johnny amish

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2010
Messages
1,024
Location
High altitude of Vernon County, ,
Hardballer those are the words of a true patriot, well said. Men and women sacrficed all to give us our rights, something we should never forget or take for granted. It is the documents, the words of our founders, that give the citizens of this country their rights, that is why they are so important. Without these we would not have the right to have an independent attitude, without these we would have nothing. Our founders understood what it was like to be governed by a heavy fist and they wanted to make sure that we didn't have that " The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first." Thomas Jefferson. It is all about WE THE PEOPLE.
 
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