Celebrating Independence Day

This is how I am celebrating Independence Day:

I'm going to wake and go to my full pantry and select one of four brands of coffee in our pantry -- four of at least 15 brands available in the five fully stocked and overwhelmingly large grocery stores within 5 miles of our home. I will celebrate the bounty and resounding economic freedom we enjoy.

I'm going to read the newspaper that arrives at my home daily -- one of 3 or 4 available and one that I selected. Congress shall make no law respecting...or abridging the freedom... of the press...

I may dash off a letter to the editor in response to some opinion piece or someone else's opinion and it may be either supportive or critical of a local, regional, state or federal government person, policy or decision. Congress shall make no law respecting... or abridging the freedom of speech... or the right of the people... to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

If he announces his candidacy, I'm going to write a check to my (at the moment) favored Presidential candidate. The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;--the person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed...

I will access the internet and read the views of 20-25 people and the news from 10-15 news sources and I may work on a blog post. Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...

I will write letters to a number of soldiers currently in Iraq and an email or two to a few others currently serving. A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state... shall not be infringed. (I will joyously and exuberantly celebrate the willingness of my fellow citizens and others to raise their hand and swear, "This I'll defend.")

I will take one son to the shuttle to the airport for a flight to another large American city where he will attend the 07-07-07 wedding of his closest (since grade school) friend... now a NYC policeman. The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

I will make my way to the town square to listen to people read the Declaration of Independence from the steps of our cherished court house, wave the flag of my country and pledge my allegiance to it, profess my love for the Greatest country in the history of the world and sing patriotic songs honoring this Nation and all the Freedom and Liberty, Prosperity and Justice for which She stands. Congress shall make no law... abridging... the right of the people peaceably to assemble...

I will pay tribute and openly thank the men and women who serve day in and day out protecting me and mine -- those who put it on the line for me every single day. A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state... shall not be infringed. (and the police, fire and medical personnel who serve as well!)

I will stand with hundreds, thousands -- millions -- of others as we bow our heads and ask God -- by whatever name and by every name we call Him -- to bring Peace to our world -- wherever we are and however large or small our world may be... I will pray for Peace... Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech... or the right of the people peaceably to assemble...

And I will pray for Victory... pray for Victory over those who would kill me and mine and you and yours because you do not believe as they believe... just because you have these Freedoms... and because you enjoy these Bounties.

On this day, I celebrate the Greatness of these United States of America... and am ever grateful that we stand free and independent of the control of any other nation.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, One Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All.