July 4th, Independence Day

Many countries have an independence day, but none is like ours. Despite all the rhetoric and confusion, The United States of America are/is singularly unique. We didn't start out to revolt; we just wanted the British crown to recognize the colonies and let them participate in their own government. Britain didn't want that, and kept pushing until it was decided that enough was enough, and we would decide that "When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands..."

So we did. We fought with a ragtag army made up of state militias staffed by farmers, mercantilists, ordinary citizens. Not all had uniforms. Geez, some of them wore their clothes straight out into shreds, and marched through the harsh winters at Valley Forge cold, wet, and wondering how this was going to work. Boston started all of this, and Yorktown finished it. We fought the British, and the French helped us seal the deal by providing naval support at the port in Yorktown, Virginia. George Washington knew the land well, all of it, because he had been a surveyor as a young adult. He was shot at, but never hit. Well, he was hit, but only in the clothes and hat. Never actually in his body. It that's not divine providence, I don't know what is. It is said that one enemy soldier noticed the holes and said if he has survived this far, he wasn't going to shoot him.

It is said that 1/3 of the colonists didn't care if we bolted or not, 1/3 were Loyalists to the crown, and 1/3 were fixed on revolution. So much for needing a majority to get things done! We were divided during the Civil War too, and we seem to be now, but that does not mean we can't survive. I for one am proud to be an American, warts and all.

Happy Independence Day! Fly a flag, grill some meat, remember how we got here, who and what we are (and are not), remember those who gave their lives over the past 238+ years, enjoy some peaceful family time, and resolve yourself that it will not decay on our watch. As Ben Franklin said after the Constitutional Convention in 1787, in response to the question "Well Doc, what do we have - a Republic or a Monarchy?"

"A Republic, if you can keep it!"