Published: July 02, 2009 10:13 pm      

Independence Day

America is still the best, no matter what troubles we face

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the Second Continental Congress adopting the Declaration of Independence, the founding document of the United States of America.

Celebrating the birth of our nation gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the bold and brave vision shared by our founding fathers in declaring a union of states free from the rule of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

These men who signed the declaration — John Hancock, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and the many others — were willing to risk their lives in order to establish a new, free nation conceived in liberty.

Their actions, started by Hancock’s signature as president of the Congress on July 4, 1776, and then followed the next month when the other 55 delegates inked their names, was the groundwork for forming the greatest country in the world. And it remains that way 232 years later.

We wish our patriotic forefathers could be with us Saturday to participate in our parades, picnics and fireworks displays — and to share a smile and join the celebration of freedom. More importantly we’d like them to analyze what has taken place in the USA since those historic events, both the good and the bad, and to share the smile of success. Because even in tough times, America remains the best.

Since they can only live on in our history books and memories, it is our responsibility to ensure that forward thinking American citizens continue to share a similar vision with an eye toward the next 200 years and the call for keeping us the land of the free and the home of the brave.