4th of July

John Adams, Samuel Adams, Josiah Bartlett, Carter Braxton, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Samuel Chase, Abraham Clark, George Clymer, William Ellery, William Floyd, Benjamin Franklin, Elbridge Gerry, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, John Hancock, Benjamin Harrison, John Hart, Joseph Hewes, Thomas Heyward Jr., William Hooper, Stephen Hopkins, Francis Hopkins, Francis Hopkinson, Samuel Huntington, Thomas Jefferson, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lewis, Philip Livingston, Thomas Lynch Jr., Thomas McKean, Arthur Middleton, Lewis Morris, Robert Morris, John Morton, Thomas Nelson Jr., William Paca, Robert Treat Paine, John Penn, George Read, Caesar Rodney, George Ross, Benjamin Rush, Edward Rutledge, Roger Sherman, James Smith, Richard Stockton, Thomas Stone, George Taylor, Matthew Thornton, George Walton, William Wipple, William Williams, James Wilson, John Witherspoon, Oliver Wolcott, George Wythe.

I hope you took the time to look over those names. There are some that hopefully will be very familiar to you unless you qualify for Jay Walking All Stars. The rest of the names where no less dedicated to their cause. The very freedom that you and I enjoy today are the result of the efforts, dedication, and sacrifice these men made for us as members of the second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. They are the signatories of our Declaration of Independence.

We not only owe these men a debt of gratitude, but our commitment to maintaining the purity of their intentions. Our country is struggling right now and it seams there is nothing you or I can do about fixing it. Have our leaders lost the focus of our framers for a position of greed and power? This is a question we must each answer when we go to the voting booth. After all, that is the only direct means by which we have a stake in our governing.

The closing sentence of the declaration states "...we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." They did every one of those. What are we doing?

I would recomend getting a copy of the Declaration of Independence and reading it. You can do it right now by clicking here.

So when you are at the beach, on an amusement ride, at an airshow, or at the fireworks this 4th of July, think about the greatness of this nation and the path we are on.

Take care all and happy 4th of July.

Doug