Sights and Sounds Of The Fourth Of July

You just have to look at the sudden change of leadership in Egypt after their first democratically held election to understand why freedom matters throughout the world.  Or why countless people are dying in the streets of Syria and Afghanistan to comprehend the complexity of the struggle for freedom.

As a seventh generation American whose roots go back to slavery in the South, I don't take my freedom for granted and know the steep price paid to keep this country "free."  We are FAR from perfect and have sooooo much to correct.  We have complex diversity and multicultural dynamics to assess and implement throughout the 50 states and its territories. And issues of class and economic disparities and voting rights are center stage in our fight for equality and fairness.

Despite the inequities, America is still a leading world power where liberty is valued and appreciated. We will salute the men and women past and present who paved the way to build  the American society, and look at ways where we can get better in this never ending struggle to maintain "freedom for all."