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[sanddunerider]

To all the members out there.. have a great SAFE holiday..

to all of you traveling be safe, hoping for no problems for you on the road..

A special thank you to all of our members that are Veterans... THANK YOU!!

[Madtwins]

Thanks. You have a safe fun fourth as well. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA.

[History Buff]

With all respect to our military brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, and cousins, Independence Day is more about the founding of our great nation.

It is about the planners, plotters, gamblers, and visionaries of the Continental Congress. It's about the traitors, quitters, rebels, and betrayers of King George.

Today is for the treasonous acts, the espionage, and the thumbing of the nose expressed in the Declaration of Independence. It is a day to honor the founding fathers, the heralds, the authors, and those community organizers who constructed ragtag troupes to stand against the redcoats, the taxes, and the oppression that came from being governed from afar.

We do well to remember that our nation - her freedoms, her rights, and all that we oft take for granted - is a nation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness because of all of this and more.

[runner1960]

With all respect to our military brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, and cousins, Independence Day is more about the founding of our great nation.

It is about the planners, plotters, gamblers, and visionaries of the Continental Congress. It's about the traitors, quitters, rebels, and betrayers of King George.

Today is for the treasonous acts, the espionage, and the thumbing of the nose expressed in the Declaration of Independence. It is a day to honor the founding fathers, the heralds, the authors, and those community organizers who constructed ragtag troupes to stand against the redcoats, the taxes, and the oppression that came from being governed from afar.

We do well to remember that our nation - her freedoms, her rights, and all that we oft take for granted - is a nation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness because of all of this and more.

Well said History Buff. I am always amazed at how the military is quietly encroaching on every holiday we have. Independence day is not about wars, veterans, current military. As you said it is to honor the founding of our country. Hope everyone had a great 4th.

[rubedugans]

Great day for weather and celebrating here in st Charles MO!

Got to see Survivor tonight at a free concert at a small festival outside StLouis for the 4th of July celebration.

Switchfoot came on after Survivor and had over 60,000 for the free concert...

[sanddunerider]

This may cause a ruckus, but here we go..

History Buff and Runner, you are both correct,   BUT without the men (military)  fighting for our freedom back in 1770's......... there would not have been an "Independence Day"....

As far as "the military is encroaching on every holiday".     Lets remember, we have freedoms that other countries don't have, because of our military. 

I believe we are honoring them more and more because we are losing more and more of our freedoms daily, due to government regulations and law changes.(enough with that)...

I try to enjoy our freedoms everyday. and thank the men and women that help protect them, the fighters,,,, (not the government).

So I don't mind honoring or mentioning our Veteran's on every holiday!

THANKS YOU!

[chittlins]

Holy heck what a great run of weather for us in the Mid South. 80 degrees and low low humidity in Memphis for the 4th. More Please! 72 when Germantown fireworks went off. Everyone enjoy and be safe.

[History Buff]

No ruckus necessary SDR.  I just think we need some education in our nation.  In the same way, folks have been brought up to believe that Memorial Day is for all of our fallen loved ones, when it is truly meant to honor those who lost their lives in battle.  The meaning of the holiday has been lost, and our fallen heroes are lost in the mix with it.

You are absolutely correct in saying our military deserves our recognition.  I'm just afraid too many have been brought up to think July Fourth has been set aside to honor those who served in World War II and those who have served since.  We are short-sighted when we fail to honor those for whom the holiday is designed to honor, and they get lost in the mix of our efforts to honor a more inclusive group.

I sat in a chair in my driveway, last night, and closed my eyes for several minutes, trying to appreciate the sounds and smells of battle.  The uneven cadence of popping and booming and cracking filled my imagination with scenes of Valley Forge.  My nose was filled with the smells of gunpowder that lingers in our still air.  I thought to myself, this does not show me the true sense of war.  I do not feel the urgency of escape, the fear of death, the anxiety of losing my family.  I do not hear the cries of pain, the shrieks of danger, the grunts of effort, or the moans of agony.  No movie, no matter how graphic, can match the truth of war, whether revolutionary, civil, or police action, whether worldwide or isolated on an island in the South Pacific.  I then opened my eyes and looked at my family - my wife, my son, and my daughter - and I realized, without the founders and the fighters, my life would be much different.

[runner1960]

Again no Ruckus necessary, but I feel when we lose sight of what a Holiday is really about we disrespect those it was meant to honor. For instance Labor day is meant to honor the working people of our country, but more and more the military is trying to creep into it also. I have seen the same recently in Thanksgiving and Christmas. Just one  of my pet peeves. Its takes all kinds to make this a great place to live and everyone needs their recognition. It's like someone said in a earlier thread about pandering to special groups all the time.

[sanddunerider]

     Agreed.