A Different Way to Celebrate the 4th of July: Independence Day

The popular ways of celebrating this holiday are fun, but we should also look at its origin and why it is still important today. In the flurry of social activities such as barbecues and picnics, fireworks and long holiday weekends, "the 4th of July" has strayed from "Independence Day"-- one of the most significant events in American history, and a document which bears considerable relevance to modern-day life.

On July 4, 1776, fifty-six delegates of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence, primarily as a means of separation from the rule of Great Britain. It is an interesting note that in 1970, the popular singing group "the Fifth Dimension" recorded a portion of this document and even sang it at the White House-- showing that the words carefully designed for the good of the American people had not lost their purpose, but continued to be a strong foundation for American citizens; and these words are equally purposeful in 2007, for individuals as well as for the whole of American society, for society cannot thrive without the basic rights of its people.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." (*) The Declaration of Independence speaks for people as individuals and as citizens-- it is about rights, and it is about responsibilities; these two factors go hand-in-hand, as our forefathers taught that we cannot have one without the other. As an elementary school teacher named William Leonard impressed upon his students, the right and the freedom known as "liberty" is correlated to using one's freedom in a manner which is responsible to oneself and to one's fellows. A good way to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence would be to assess how this fits into one's present-day life-- as the American people have "the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them," (*) what is each individual doing to not only use this properly but to also protect others' rights to the same? In one's quest for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," the individual does not have the right to violate the rights of others in attempting to attain his own-- it is not only about responsibility for oneself but responsibility to society as a whole, and cooperation with the government in its place to keep these rights secure for all.

The Declaration of Independence marked the American government's and the American people's separation from oppressive rule-- that freedom was, in itself, a grand cause for celebration! But amongst the fireworks displays and picnics, we should also take time to consider the correlation between our rights and our responsibilities, as witnessed in 1776: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." (*)

(*)