WHAT ARE WE CELEBRATING?

“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more…” written on July 3, 1776 by John Adams, Second President of the United States of America, in a letter to his wife, Abigail.

And so it should not be a surprise that many Americans think of Independence Day (The Fourth of July) as a day off work where we can watch fireworks while listening to patriotic songs like “God Bless America”  or wave little flags at local parades and spend the day with barbecues and picnics.  I wonder how many of us think of what we are celebrating rather than how we celebrate.

WHAT ARE WE CELEBRATING?

Are we celebrating the country and ideals that the Founding Fathers fought to create with a willingness to sacrifice all that they had as exemplified by the closing sentence of the Declaration of Independence?…

“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

Are we a people that want to be independent from a government that is overwhelmingly involved in our lives?  Are we willing to sacrifice “our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor” to ensure we retain the gifts the Founders gave us?

WHAT ARE WE CELEBRATING?

I see an America that increasingly depends upon its government, not independence from its government to provide for key aspects of American life.

Is healthcare more about taking care of our own health or the government providing insurance so we can live as healthy or unhealthy as we want?

Is energy more about heating homes, fueling transportation and powering industry or the government dictating what type of energy we can use?

Is the environment something we cherish and take care of or something the government must protect?

Is education about learning or about the government providing free tuition?

Is competitive industry (say GM) about making and selling quality products or is it about government ownership and control?

Is the financial system about allocating capital resources or the government bailing out greedy risktakers?

WHAT ARE WE CELEBRATING?

Have a great Dependence Day!