What does Independence Day actually mean to YOU?
By gewcew23
@gewcew23 (8007)
United States
July 8, 2007 12:01pm CST
We just had the supposed celebration of our nation's birthday, but really what does it mean to you? A lot of times, when I see these supposed Independence Day celebraters, and all I am seeing is an opportunity for people to get fat, drunk, and lazy. Now don't get me wrong people, I got fat, drunk, and lazy too. But do we as a nation really represent the qualities that makes this day special? This day some 231 years ago a group of highly educated, wealthy, and God fearing men came together to create a nation that we now have so little respect these days. These men put their lives on the line, when Patric Henry coined the phrase "Give liberty or give me death." He literally meant give me liberty or give me death. There was an actual death sentence on every one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. These men lost family members, their property, and their livelihood for this country, and all we can do is gripe that gas is too high. This country was founded on personal freedoms and economic freedoms. Yet, we will elect a politician who has the audacity to take away both freedoms. How dare one politician tell me and my fellow countrymen that freedoms that were granted to me 231 years ago are up to debate. How dare politicians commit armed robbery everyday when they still my money, and how dare us elect politicians that would do this? Benjamin Franklin said it best, "Those that would trade alittle bit of freedom for a little bit of security will find that they have neither, and deserve neither."
2 people like this
6 responses
@ladysurvivor (4746)
• Malaysia
9 Jul 07
My country is going to celebration our fiftieth year of independence. This year we are going to celebrate it the whole year, for this is our Golden Jubilee. Many contests have been threw out and the prizes are great. They offer automobiles, vacations and cash. However to me the meaning of independence is:
Fifty years of independence is a gift from God which can't be campared with anything in this world. It's a gift we must treasure till the last of our breath. I hope all of us can cherish the true meaning of independence.
3 people like this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
8 Jul 07
I have mixed feelings about the 4th of July. I am proud of my country and I do celebrate Independence Day. The mixed feelings come from me being of Native American heritage. My ancesters were already here, their land was stolen from them. They were murdered and pushed from their land. I belong to the Great Miami Nation of Indiana, we have been fighting the govt. for years to get our rights returned to us. Our tribal status was stripped from us, we want it back. I could go on and on about the subject but I won't.
2 people like this
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
8 Jul 07
Look this happens. The Normans invaded Britian and drove off the early Britsh. Arabs invaded Africa and drove off the natives. British invaded Ireland and drove off the Irish. Native American are not native. You all came form China, hunting migrant animals. The Miama tribe fought war with its neighbors over their land. Why is it that USA always get blamed for driving of the "Native Americans". The Miama where British allies, why should the USA have not drove the Miama of their land.
@bravenewworld (746)
• United States
9 Jul 07
Seems like an inadequate excuse for genocide.
2 people like this
@gardengrrl (1445)
• United States
9 Jul 07
Actually, both the British and Irish "race" survived the invasions and live free on the same land today through their direct descendants. Last time I looked, neither land was conquered by passing out smallpox-infected blankets, etc, in an attempt to completely eradicate a people from the face of the Earth.
Native Americans are a whole lot more native than you, since their people inhabited this continent for thousands of years before yours. By your standard, the only place human beings have a right to be is Africa, since that's where the species originated. Doesn't seem sensible to me.
1 person likes this
@di1indilin (802)
• India
9 Jul 07
That's the problem with human's when hey are left out of a deal they complain about it, when they are in the deal they make the most out of it. Typical human nature,especially now. Independence day is the day when we think about how happy we used to be in the old days when we were free ! !
2 people like this
@joshboz (1209)
• Australia
9 Jul 07
if you ask me our independence day is not that much celebrated here in our country, the Philippines because most of us are to preoccupied with our daily activities. when i was young i used to see grandious parade gathering during independence day.It is even televised on the Tv network but as years goes by the only point of remembering this glorified day is that there are no classes at school. i dont know? maybe because most of us feel that we are already liberated for too long that we forget that day of independence the 1st day of liberation. honestly, maybe many people i think does not much appreciate this day because we are born 100 or 200 years or 300 years after the independence day that we are only thought at school that this is the day of independence that we must celebrate. because i am thought to do so. I cannot really feel deep inside me the glorified spirit at this day i do not know honestly? maybe i donti because i did not exist on that very same day .........i
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