Independence Day,what is it to you?

[backwoodsman]

I am curious what this day means to people, most people I see view it as time off work if they are fortunate enough to have a job now.Others a time to get drunk,have picnics,gather with family,and shoot off fireworks.I look forward to hearing what it means to our members.What it means to me:

233 years ago many brave men fought against tyranny to have the right of freedom to create their own nation with their own laws,laws which would protect their freedom and liberties.Many paid the price with their very lives,in order give freedom to all of it's citizens and their descendants.They instituted a free republic,and drafted sacred documents to ensure the longevity of what they fought so bravely for.They chose to question,questionable authority,and to smite it,and remove it from their land.
Those men had wives and sisters and grandmothers , all who aided in the cause,it truly was We the People bonded together in a just and Godly cause.

To these brave men and women,who in spite the fear of death ,gave all ,so that all might have freedom of choice,religion,and speech, I owe a debt of honor ,and gratitude towards them.Even more they entrusted We the People for all generations after to ensure, that which they gave their perspiration,soul,and even their lives for,remain a free republic,free of tyranny.

I thank God ,I am an American,and pray he wakes the sleeping,gives strength to the fearful,and wisdom to those who stand against any and all who would tarnish this republic.
To all who read, Happy Independence Day!

[johnharris]

Its a stark reminder of the price paid for liberty and freedom by our Founding Fathers and the Patriots who took the bold step to oppose the tyranny of England and form a new nation built on the concept and belief in God, family and personal responsibility.

Its a stark reminder that at that time this country found in it enough men who believed in God, family and personal responsibly, in the concept of freedom and in the doctrine of liberty that they committed upon penalty of treason and death their lives and resources not so much for themselves but for their descendants.

It is a stark reminder, when juxtaposed against the direction and leadership of this country since the 1930's that the principles on which this country was founded are not the guiding principles of those now in control of it.

It is a stark reminder that, in the elections over the last 40 years, we increasingly see a trend toward the centralized domination of our country that our founders sought to prevent.

It is a stark reminder that the public education system we now have has failed to teach the purposes and principles on which this country was founded since we see no evidence of those principles in the selection of our leaders in the voting booth.

Its a celebration of history tempered by a realization of the current.

[KevinMcCauley]

I stopped calling it "the 4th of July" years ago...

[JTravis]

It's a day when we officially celebrate and remember those Domestic Terrorists who refused to accept their government's restrictions on them and their divine ruler's demands for even greater taxes to pay for his whims. A few of the braver ones put their names, their lives, and their fortunes on the line and proclaimed "ENOUGH!!!" and when enough other men followed them, they eventually fought and won their freedom with the arms and ammo which they refused to surrender to their government's confiscation orders.

We USED to be taught that they were "patriots" and our "founding fathers" of the Republic. But now our schools are ran by those who would rather indoctrinate submissiveness and socialism into our children, and our Federal government is ran by a cadre of those who believe themselves to be inherently superior to the citizens they are supposed to be representing (except for during the election cycle) and they feel it their divine right to enforce excessive taxation to pay for their agendas, to presume that they alone are entitled to revert the concept of our rights into permissions granted and withheld only by federal mandate, and that they believe it is within their authority to redistribute our wealth- what of it their monetary policies have not devalued into oblivion- and to remake our nation into something that lies between the fantasies of Marx and the nightmares of Orwell. And all of this is being led by a man whose eligibility to even hold office has yet to be objectively proven to those who refuse to accept the propaganda of the once-free media.

Kind of makes me wonder, on this Fourth of July, WHO EXACTLY are the "domestic terrorists" supposed to be again?

[benburke]

As a preacher of the Gospel, the way I see it is this: There's really no such thing as freedom; you're either a slave to Christ, or a slave to Satan. May we always be submissive to His Holy Spirit.

[backwoodsman]

Thank you all for answering, I was hoping for greater numbers, but it seems to be symptomatic of our nation these days, John made a post concerning Tennessee and America standing up,and very lackluster results were the result. People you have to realize, that our founding fathers were not mythical creatures, they were ordinary men and women,some cheated on their wives,others over ate and were pudgy some smoked large amounts of marijuana others drank a lot ,others used mob tactics,burning business's and destroying property,others were not that intelligent but were good followers and fought hard, a huge mix, just like today, but it was their combined efforts that won the day, not one individual save superman could or can do such a thing!, put your fear aside,think of your family,your descendants,stand up, be heard, put away your ego, join the collective and speak up, stand up,be counted or retire to a dark corner and be silent in your bondage., Thanks again

[David Lewis]

I didn't reply earlier because I wasn't sitting in front of a PC on the Fourth, but instead was busy
doing many of the things you espouse.

I celebrate many things connected with July 4:

Most of the day, I was with extended family, celebrating our freedom of association.

Later in the day, I was busy celebrating our 2nd Amendment freedom by instructing my son
in the proper use of a handgun and rifle (we were joined by his grandfather & uncle, too!).

And thus, I might add, helping to pass the torch of liberty to a new generation. He's 10, &
has already worked the TFA table with me at a couple of shows.

And finally, the other thing I celebrate on 4 July is my wife's birthday.

David

[Grunt67]

Independence Day to me isn't about burgers & fireworks, although there certainly isn't anything wrong
with that. For me, it's about all those who have given their all to make & keep us free from oppression.
Our freedoms are slowly being chipped away, year by year. The 2nd. Amendment, which to me makes
the others possible, is constantly under attack at all levels, and many sit back & allow it to happen.
My Fiance' & myself spent part of the day looking for reloading supplies.
Strange thing about gun rights in the country. When I was 22 yrs. old, Lyndon Johnson sent me a little note
stating my presence was required in the US Army (1966). A few short weeks later, I was on my way to Vietnam.
Eventually, I took 5 hits in the legs & feet ( machinegun & hand grenade), Spent 16 months in an Army hospital
recovering. The point of this is, this country entrusted me with a M-16 full auto, with M-203 grenade launcher attached
underneath, but now they can't trust me to carry my semi-auto Glock.
Frankly, I believe anyone on here is far more trustworthy than anyone in DC.
I greatly appreciate everyones' efforts.
Thanks,
Larry