I consider myself quite the history buff. I find most fascinating how our country came to be. Did you know the United States is considered a social experiment? You have likely heard that we’re a government of, by and for the people. A government based on self-rule and certain rights not given by man but by a higher power. That we have certain inalienable rights, even prior to them being enshrined in the Bill of Rights. Well, it’s all true, and you are fortunate to be living in the greatest social experiment in the world.

History is a neat thing, and if you delve deep enough, you’ll learn that it often repeats itself. We had a Civil War, prior to our nation even existing for 100 years. It’s certainly possible for it to happen again, and the crazy thing is people talk about wanting it to happen. I can talk at length about how I don’t want that to happen, but I’d like to make a point about how we can prevent it. Through education.

You can tell someone that we are living in the greatest country in the world, or you can show them. There are many examples in everyday life that people take for granted. I have, and still do take things for granted like air conditioning, I’m spoiled by it. One thing I do not take for granted is the freedom that has been bestowed upon me by my creator and secured through harsh battles by those before me.

I firmly believe, the more people learn of our history, the less likely we are to repeat it. Educating ourselves and our youth will secure our freedom for generations to come. Pick up a book and do some reading. I didn’t pick up casual reading until roughly Junior High, the Iliad and the Odyssey got me hooked. They’re excellent fictional books that do a great job of helping a reader visualize the story. Now that I enjoy reading, I prefer to pick up books on our founding documents, founding fathers, and historical events. Two books I have read in the past but just recently acquired are the Federalist Papers, and the Anti-Federalist Papers. These are in short, the arguments for and against the Constitution, truthfully these should be required reading in school. *list some of your favorite books in the comments*

Our National Anthem provides a great visual to the beauty found in the chaos of war. Read or listen to the full version, immerse yourself in that visual. It also helps if you’ve got fireworks blasting in the distance, as I currently do. Which brings me to my next point, does the symbolism of fireworks and Independence Day get lost on people?

The fireworks are a celebration of rebellion; of victory; of war; of freedom, yet for liability or nuisance reasons they’re typically “illegal” unless during the week of Independence Day, often called the 4^th of July. Now I’m not typically a stickler when it comes to the suppressor/silencer debate, but I do prefer to call this glorious birthday Independence Day over the 4^th of July. I think in this case the term is important, what are we independent from? Tea and crumpets, gun control, oppressive dictators, tyrannical governments. The symbolism behind this day can’t get lost on people, we are Americans, and our identity is that of the gold standard of living freely.

Happy Independence Day America.

Dillon Daughenbaugh – IFC Communications Director and  Board Secretary

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