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Have a great Independence Day! - Comments (1) View Comments
Melanie Brubaker Mazur - 7/3/2009
I used to live in Eastern Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and I would periodically see trucks full of Russian soldiers moving around the Eastern German countryside. To say they looked grim was an understatement.
Every time I saw them, I was grateful I was born in the U.S.
As our economy waivers and turmoil continues around the world, it can be easy to focus solely on the negative.
Looking at our freedoms can alleviate that.
First and foremost, there is the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which we print every week in our little newspaper.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceable to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
How wonderfully clear and straightforward is that? I think we need to remember that many of the world’s democracies, including Britain and Germany, do not have the freedom of speech that our Constitution guarantees.
Almost as dear to my heart is the Second Amendment, guaranteeing that the militias, AKA the people, have the right to own guns. Again, this is not a freedom guaranteed in many other countries.
I hope you enjoy your day today as much as my family and I do. Our 4th starts early as Robert and Sloan head to the Lions Club to cook for the pancake breakfast, and Lance and I go to Joe Stephenson Park to put up our booth for the newspaper.
Our kids are in the parade to promote Bayfield Heritage Days, then all of us at the Times work at various booths in the park. I might have to stop for a minute to have a beer at the Chamber of Commerce beer tent. Then it’s off to parties in the afternoon and evening, and kicking back to watch the fireworks before we go home to crash.
Having lived in other countries around the world, I can say nobody celebrates freedom as our country does.
Long may it continue.
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Way to go Bayfield. My first July 4th and the fireworks were great.
Cant wait until next year.
Beverly Walters
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