Remember Betsy Ross? commons.wikimedia.org
Celebrating our Nation’s Birthday is one of the highlights of summer in the south. On July 4, 1776, the unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, also known as The Declaration of Independence, was signed by fifty-six men hoping for freedom from the oppressive rule of England. It’s interesting to note that the three signatures in the first column are Georgia’s Representatives at the Continental Congress. As a Georgia girl, that makes me proud.
It’s also important to remember that the date we celebrate wasn’t the date we gained freedom, it was the day we declared our intentions to be free. Seven years of war and loss of life followed that fateful day, but thanks to great leadership and military assistance from France, we won our independence. One of my Irish ancestors came over to the continent with General Lafayette’s army during the Revolutionary War. You can read that story here.
Our celebrations center around food and fireworks. We have picnics where we burn meat on the grill. There are a few side dishes you will usually find too: potato salad, baked beans, chips, and watermelon for dessert. When darkness falls, we light up the sky with the rockets’ red, white, and blue glare. As children, we lit sparklers and threw firecrackers at each other.
On social media sights recently, I’ve seen America abbreviated to Merica. I cringe at the irreverence. After a little digging, I discovered it’s used as a stereotypical description of the USA and not normally intended as a compliment. With the trend to drop letters and abbreviate words that began with texting and other instant messaging, I fear that in fifty years, we’ll be singing God Bless Merica. It feels a little unpatriotic after so many have given their time and lives to gain and protect our freedoms.
Here are a few things that inspire patriotism in me.
Old Glory
Our military hdwallpaperspics.com
The Blue Angels en.wikipedia.org
Rocky IV en.wikipedia.org
Captain America marvel.com
Toby Keith countryuniverse.net
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Independence Day and before you go, tell me,
What makes you feel patriotic?
My in-laws live near Pensacola so the Blue Angels are a must. I hope you had a wonderful fourth!
Thanks, Aidee. I hope yours was great too. They used to fly over our house all the time. We would go to the dress rehearsals instead of the actual air shows b/c of the smaller crowds. I love driving onto I-110 in P’cola and seeing them on the overpass. So cool! Thanks for stopping by.