Independence Day

 

I am a Vietnam Era Veteran since we have never called it a war, serving from 1969 until 1974.  But just because I am a veteran does not mean I am patriotic; I am patriotic because I am an AMERICAN.

July 4, 1776, is when the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE was adopted, and 13 colonies declared their independence from Great Britain.

These 13 colonies, soon to be states, were:

1. New Hampshire
2. Massachusetts 
3. Rhode Island
4. Connecticut
5. New York
6. New Jersey
7. Pennsylvania
8. Delaware
9. Maryland
10. Virginia
11. North Carolina
12. South Carolina
13. Georgia

The leaders and followers of these 13 colonies/states, could have been HANGED FOR TREASON, if they had lost the war with Great Britain.  Fortunately, they did not.

It took great courage to do what these leaders and their followers did...

Shortly after the passage of the Declaration of Independence, our Founding Fathers wrote the US CONSTITUTION which contained THE BILL OF RIGHTS, giving us the FREEDOMS that we all enjoy and are mostly taken for granted.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH is the one of which I am most supportive because it gives AMERICANS what citizens of other countries do not have.

I am not very fond of the Second Amendment because I believe it was designed to only be TEMPORARY until we established a military and police force.

I am patriotic, not just because I am an American, but because I live in the greatest country in the world and we are the envy of everyone else because they don't have and will never have what we have.

I will fight to the death to protect the country to which I belong...  regardless of all the mistakes she has made and will continue to make.