Better late then never they say... the 4th

[fivel44]

Unlike past years, This years 4th sucked for me. My job had me closing the night of the 4th and opening the morning of the 5th, keeping me from being part of the festivities. none the less I spent the day showing my American side... Red tank showing under a white button up and blue jeans with a plaid print skull and cross-bone on the back pocket (sorry couldn't find a wocket this year). This, surprising to me, made me the only person at work to show those colors together. Again reminding me that some where between the dividing middle states, both north and south and east and west, the north-west some how got left behind in what makes this country worth celebrating and what doesn't. Customer after customer I asked, "so have any big plans for tonight?" and one after another they answered, "I went to some BBQ but that's about it" or "I never really do anything for the 4th anyway"... this astounds and saddens me to no end. Why is it that We here in the North-West have lost our pride in this land? did we not take on a grand river, forge our rolling fields of grain, survive the Rocky purple mountains and fight war after war to be able to live here? And if the Idea of war and deaths from those wars is what you don't like, then did we not fight a battle against nature to survive year after year, child after child dieing of snake bite and famine to over come the odds, is that not the truth of our greatest battles. Battles that I would willing fight, a truth that none can deny is in their blood. and yes that same truth is what has held us threw thick and thin for better and for worse... But I don't see many that understand that the word brave means more the a war vet., more then a battle wound. The brave are the people that struggle every day against unbeatable odds to win a small bit of freedom, freedom for us all! What am I talking about? The Forth if the in respect of the day that we won our freedom... well this is true and more so every time freedom is further granted... when the African Americans were free of slavery, when women were free to vote, the day that I will be free to marry a boy I love, these are all battles won and all days that we won our freedom as a people. I quote something that we all learned in American schools 'I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the Unites states of America, and to the republic for which it Stands, one nation, under god(who or what ever that is to you), indivisible, with liberty and justice for all'. I take that and in my mind I understand it to mean one thing, 'I vow before this flag(our nations symbol) that I will do everything in my power as a citizen to to unite this country, seeking liberty and justice for every soul it houses'. some times the way something is written, causes it to loose meaning to people over years of conflict... but the truth is, even with out remembering this oath, we do fight every day for this and one and all should be proud of that fight and once every year, why not go out and join voices with every other American and tell the skys and the world watching that we are not done here and that nothing is going to stop our fight for freedom to rain down on all. Liberties bell has sounded call to arms before, may those arms be sword and steel or quill and ink, we all deserve a chance to fight for our self and for the others standing by to share the same freedoms as everyone else!

but that is only my take on this day and what it stands for, you are still FREE to hold your own voice about the matter, but remember you are FREE to do so!

-=care=-
-Clayton