Happy Fourth

Today we remember that on July 4, 1776, the Thirteen Colonies declared their independence from Britain.  Thomas Jefferson was the principal author, and the measure was passed by the Second Continental Congress and actually signed about a month later.

Two of the signers, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, later became president and incredibly died on July 4.  James Madison, one of our founding fathers, also died on July 4.

John Adams wrote to his wife that the event should be commemorated from this time onward, with "pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations."  And so it has always been.

The men who signed the Declaration suffered much for it and many of them lost everything before the fighting was over.  Their improbable victory over England was awe inspiring to many, but the victory was in part possible because they got help with military advice and fighting men from France.

Bill Ayers, whom I wrote about yesterday, said in his interview with Megyn Kelly that he is not proud to be an American, and he cited a number of different times in our country's past where he felt we made terrible decisions.  I think we all know that America isn't perfect, any more than we are perfect, but the U.S. has been an incredible force for good in the world.  He must not have learned about the history that I've learned, including the article about the little French children who celebrate each year the Americans coming to liberate France during WW II. 

We liberated and then we left for home. 

Today I thank God that we can get up in the morning and plan our day knowing that we are free to get in the car and drive wherever we need to go, stop in any church that has its doors open, pray as often as we want, speak our mind, write a blog, vote, seek a job, volunteer, and pick up groceries from a store that has an amazing bounty!!

The men who signed the Declaration were courageous and took a step that would bring war, but war was the only way to get their freedom, the very freedom they sought when they came here in the first place.

Once the colonies were free from the yoke of England, peace reigned again.  When the leaders wanted the American people to pass a Constitution, they did so without any sort of violence or coercion of any kind.  They did it through the media --- through the brilliant writing of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison in their Federalist Papers, 85 articles that appeared in newspapers all over the colonies. 

We have such a rich history to celebrate and to be thankful for -- to thank God for.

Happy 4th to you!!