Fourth Of July (standard:Editorials, 1801 words)
Author: Lori	Added: Jul 06 2007	Views/Reads: 3379/2208	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
In the United States we celebrate our Independence from England on July 4th. This is my tribute to that day.

Fourth of July 

By: Lori 

I wanted to do a blog on the Fourth. But, I didn't want to do something
to paint the world in a good light, or a bad one. I didn't desire to do 
a run of the mill kind of thing. Before you read this I want you to 
understand something. I'm proud to be an American and everything that 
it stands for. I disagree about how the war is being fought. But, I 
SUPPORT our troops and the heroic efforts they take every day. I 
SUPPORT our government, but I can't stand behind someone who doesn't 
understand who and what I am. And refuses to understand the things I 
believe in and stand for. I LOVE my country and stand behind the 
decisions it makes, but I DON'T support going after someone who had 
nothing to do with the attacks on our country. I understand wanting to 
do the right thing, but I DON'T understand continuing when the right 
turns out to be wrong. 

Now having said all that the first thing I want you to read is something
a friend of mine wrote. I thought it was befitting the theme of the 
Fourth, seeing as how it is about a great man of history who goes 
unnoticed. 

Patrick Henry Doesn't Live Here Anymore. 

In 1775, speaking in favor of action to throw off the tyranny of the
British crown, Patrick Henry declared: “Is life so dear, or peace so 
sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? ... I 
know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or 
give me death!” 

Today we Americans seem to be saying quite the opposite by our
acquiescence: Give me a powerful ruler to save me from the terrorists 
even if this means surrendering my rights as an American citizen. 

IF WE STAND BY AND JUST LET IT HAPPEN WITHOUT AT LEAST SPEAKING UP, WE
ARE AS MUCH TO BLAME AS THOSE IN POWER. 

Peaceful and lawful dissent is NOT unpatriotic.  It's actually extremely
American.  At least until the new America takes permanent root. 

Remember what Benjamin Franklin said:  "Those who wouldgive up essential
Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty 
nor Safety." 

TC 

Another friend sent me this as a Bible verse. 

Smile It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life.
Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do 
whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your 
freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For 
everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: 
Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you 
bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be 
annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then? 
Galatians 5:13-15 (MSG) 

To me both of them bring up good points. What really is freedom? Are we
really free? Do we want to be free? What price must we pay for this 
freedom? Those are the questions I want to answer tonight. 

What is freedom? Freedom is a choice we make when we come to the age of
responsibility. Some people don't want to be free, so they marry people 
who make slaves of them. Or they marry someone who has no respect for 
them. Some people will get into abusive relationships because they have 
it in their heads they need to be owned by someone. Now, before y'all 
start holler, hear me out. What I mean by that statement is as a child 
they are led to believe they are owned by their parents, so when they 
marry they are owned by their husbands. Some of these marriages aren't 
even abusive. It could be part of their religion. It could be, as I've 
just said, how they grew up. But, it still goes back to freedom being a 
choice, not a right of the U.S. 



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