It’s undeniable: the rest of the world has not been blessed as we have been here in these great United States of America. Our Founding Fathers cared enough to fight for freedom; what about us today? We need to ask ourselves if we still care enough to do what it takes. Freedom isn’t free – never has been.
Many nations have lost their freedoms and now suffer under dictators’ whims, such as Venezuela and Russia. Just like a beautiful new home requires maintenance to function properly, so does our magnificent country require the attention of its citizens. John Kennedy said on that snowy inaugural morning in 1961, “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge—and more.” We cannot wimp out now or ever, if we expect our freedoms to stay in place and this proud nation to remain true to its roots in freedom, in life, in liberty, and in the pursuit of happiness.
Let’s take a moment to think about the policemen and firemen that serve us routinely by putting themselves in harms way. They are sometimes killed in the effort to maintain order. We would not tell them to stay off the streets because of the chance they might be hurt; we know the value of safe streets, and it is no different in the world. There will always be the Hitlers and the Stalins and the Al qaedas threatening world peace, just like there will always be law-breakers. In the same way that we need the police and firemen, we need our armed forces.

Just like a beautiful new home requires
maintenance to function properly so does our magnificent country require the
attention of its citizens.

Kennedy went on to make the celebrated statement, “My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.” On that premise, I humbly ask that as we celebrate this July 4th in the traditional ways with cook-outs and fireworks, that we each consider whether we cast informed votes and are knowledgeable citizens who are involved, or are we content to let the representatives handle these things without our support and without holding them accountable.
Long before Kennedy, there was Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story (1779-1845) and he wished “to inspire upcoming generations to possess a more ardent love of their country, an unquenchable thirst for liberty, and a profound reverence for the constitution and the Union…Let the American youth never forget, that they possess a noble inheritance, bought by the toils, and sufferings, and blood of their ancestors; and capable, if wisely improved, and faithfully guarded, of transmitting to their latest posterity all the substantial blessings of life, the peaceful enjoyment of liberty, property, religion, and independence.” Justice Story burned with the desire that generations to come would understand the gift this nation is and preserve it.
As we consider Independence Day, let's consider the price paid for that independence. We are fair people. Someone paid the price for us, now let us pay the price for the next generation.
ART HALL, publisher