Op-Ed: United States celebrating its Independence

Every country has a fourth of July, but for some it means more than others, and to the United States it symbolizes its independence.

It was 1776 that the United States declared its independence from Great Britain. For the last 234 years the the United States has celebrated their independence on the 4th of July the day the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia. Now the 4th of July symbolizes parties, cookouts, trips to the lake and the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. It is a federal holiday and it represents in a nut shell the work and determination of free thinkers who understood what it meant to be free, to speak openly, think openly and to find religious freedom. On the Capital lawn each year in Washington DC there is a free concert that precedes a fire works display. Throughout all of history there have been different celebrations to mark the United State's independence. Regardless of political persuasion, or religious belief it seems all Americans can get behind the appreciation of their individual independence. This freedom, foundation of independence is unlike anything else and often Americans take that for granted. The right to freedom of speech allows people to speak their mind, to disagree, and in the end to be individuals. Do not take this for granted, as people around the world are persecuted for speaking out against the government, media is not allowed to report openly. Each year we celebrate our independence, we get together with family and friends, but somewhere the true meaning of the holiday seems to get forgotten. Maybe the meaning of the holiday means something else to different people. Around the world Americans are engaged to protect the freedoms that our Constitution outlines. The same freedoms that the Declaration of Independence paved the way to have laid. In November in some form or another we have elections. We choose the person to lead out country every four years. We have people like Chris Matthews, Rush Limbaugh, and other journalists who speak-out both in-favor and opposition to our government. This year as we celebrate over the weekend, and the grills get fired up, boats hit the water we need to remember what all the holiday means to Americans. What all was sacrificed to make this day special, to give us a reason to get together and to celebrate. Happy Birthday America!