On This Independence Day

As the evening ends and the night rolls in the 4th of July celebration is coming to an end. Most of us were off work as we should be on one of the two most important events in our great nation's history. The other day taking place in 1787 when our founders finalized our Constitution in its original form.

I wonder how many people have ever read the complete Declaration of Independence from Britain? I wonder how many people can quote more than the first line of the second paragraph of the declaration? I wonder how many people know that taxes was only mentioned once in the declaration despite most junior high kids saying we went to war because of "taxation without representation"? I wonder how many people know that God was referenced in the first two paragraphs and the final paragraph of the declaration (most believe the most imporatant part of any formal letter or document)?I wonder how many people know the events that lead up to the declaration? I wonder how many people know what the majority of the declaration says? I wonder how many people know that it is a list of grievances that the colonist had with the king? I wonder how many people know that each of the signers were considered traitors in Britain and if captured could have been hung? I wonder how many know that although none were hung that 17 served in the army, that 5 were captured, and that one of the signers, Richard Stockton, was captured and tortured and held in captivity until death? I wonder how many people really care?

Today as we complain about high gas prices, the stock market falling, war in the Middle East, Some jobs being lost, housing prices falling, and politicians doing nothing other than messing everything up in congress, allow us to just for one day of the year remember that we live in the greatest nation ever and that during our worst of times, we are better off than 99% of the world in their BEST of times!