Why Do You Celebrate the Fourth?

Today is The Fourth of July

Today we celebrate an independence gained and maintained at the cost of many lives..

Cpl. Andrew Charles Wilfahrt was one who died for those freedoms and rights

even tho he was denied many of them.

"Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes."

"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek."

"Too often we don't hear the deaf and do not see the blind."

"What we dream we become."

These are the words Cpl. Andrew Charles Wilfahrt lived by

We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it. - William Faulkner

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. - Abraham Lincoln

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. - Thomas Paine

The American Revolution was a beginning, not a consummation. - Woodrow Wilson

Those who won our independence believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty. -Louis D. Brandeis

America is much more than a geographical fact. It is a political and moral fact - the first community in which men set out in principle to institutionalize freedom, responsible government, and human equality. - Adlai Stevenson

Where liberty dwells, there is my country. - Benjamin Franklin

These are some of the words we should all believe in and live by.

It's too bad that many who claim to be Christians are so Anti-American!

How many more will have to die for their rights and equality in this great land?

Some day this hero and thousands like him may RIP

Now, again, I ask, Why do you celebrate the Fourth?

One Year Later....

I posted this a few weeks ago on the anniversary of the beginning of the story. The actual ending was July 18, 2010....

ONE YEAR LATER

A few years ago an young teen was living with his parents in a South Florida town, going to high school like guys his age should. He was into music, like most teens are. He played sax and joined the school band. A lot of people liked him. He had a close circle of friends as most teens do. His life was going forward as is normal for a 16 year old. His parents loved him, his sisters did too, even though they loved to harass him. He was by all means, your normal average teen.

One warm Florida day in May 2010, his teacher noticed that he didn't look right. His color was off, kind of yellowish. That was the beginning of what was to become the worse two months for everyone that knew him. His parents and close friends were extremely concerned. They stuck by him, cared for him and loved him. His liver had failed, he was very lucky to get a transplant almost immediately. In July 2010 he got sick again ... went to the hospital again ... was diagnosed with leukemia and died in a few days. His family and friends stayed close to him.

It's been a year....

It's been a year we'll never forget....

It's been a year that the world changed....

It's been a year that lives changed....

It's been a year since an unfinished journey came to an end....

It's been a year with out a friend....

It's been a year with out a Love....

It's been the most difficult year of a Family's life....

It's been very hard on some close Friends

They have not had him around ... for the first time....

Their hearts were broken ...their lives changed forever....

They have Cried many tears....

They have asked WHY??....

They have searched for answers that don't exist....

They have found emptiness where there was hope and love....

Holidays that brought joy... now bring tears....

The most difficult thing to learn... life goes on....

The good and bad... Ups and downs... wars and peace....

They have found some new friends....

Others have become mysteriously absent...

Several families have become closer because of the tragedy

They have helped each other through the difficulties

but... They still feel the emptiness....

Parents

WHY SHOULD A 16 YEAR OLD BOY HAVE TO WRITE THIS? What is going on in the parents heads that they can't show this extremely intelligent young man some real parental love?

Parents

I don't know how to feel about these two
I don't know where we fall apart
The two who put up with me through all in life
From now right back to the start

I went through ups and downs with them
They never accepted who I was
Maybe I'm the reason we fell apart
Maybe I'm the one main cause

When I was little, I blew out candles on a cake
They rushed over and made a fuss, I didn't really understand
But they were trying to protect me
Blowing out the candles with my hand

When I fell around the corner
I split open my head
We went the hospital to stitch me up
We skipped dinner, you and i didn't get fed

Then when I was 10 I broke my arm, walked in without a word
You sat me down, got a cushion, told me i'll soon be on the mend
We went to hospital, went through red lights
At 60 round every bend

Yous have certainly looked after me the last few years
Through all the good and bad
I don't know where we fell apart
I miss you, mum and dad

All these things you've done
Every present I've been bought
I love you both more than anyone
And you loved me, I thought

When yous asked who Liam was
And I replied to you my boyfriend
You were both let down inside
I don't think you'll ever mend

But its not my fault because of the way I am
If I could i'd change it all
All I want is for a happy family
Not one who fight at every call

We were once that family
Before that fateful day
The day both my parents stopped caring
The day they found out I was gay

Read more at Davie Magill ... this is his blog.

Flag Day 2011

Tampa, 6/14/11

As we observe Flag Day today, I thought we should take a look back at why the U.S. was formed and why we are here.

For centuries the European countries were being terrorized by religious zealots that were forcing their beliefs on the world. If you didn't believe exactly as they did, you were tortured or killed. The Catholic Church was leading some of the worse terrorism of the times. The Church of England .. a spin off of the Catholics .. was also involved as were many of the splinter 'religions' of the day. The people eventually had had enough and decided to brave the seas to go to the 'Promised Land' of the new world.

They had hoped that by starting a new country with a new form of government, “Of the People, By the People, and For the People” with the idea of freedoms that they didn't have back in the 'old country.' Freedom of tyranny, freedom of religion and from religious persecution, freedom to speak out, and many others that they had only dreamed of. They fought bravely to defend those freedoms, a fight that continues to this day. Millions have died to preserve the freedoms that they had dreamed of.

So, today, over 200 years later, where do we stand? Well, those freedoms exist for some but not all. The chruches are back in power. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The things our fore fathers fought against are now back … maybe not to the extent of those times but, none the less, they are here again.

• They say there is goverernment tyrany when in actuality tyrany means abuse of powers. Cutting programs that help people while giving breaks to wealthy is a real abuse of powers.

• Religious freedom means not only freedom to practice a religion but freedom to not practice one. So called religious people are trying to force their beliefs at any cost. The dominate religious sect, Christianity, used to belive in the teachings of Christ. Today many of it's followers have no idea of the actual teachings they profess to believe in. Instead of love and compassion, they teach fear and hate.

• The freedom of speech is limited to those who support certain beliefs. During the last presidency, if you spoke out against the 'party' you could be arrested. That same 'party' is controled by two groups, the extremely rich and the extremely religious. They are even trying to re-write history to suit their own needs.

We observe Flag Day... a symbol of what this country is supposed to be...what our fore-fathers wanted it to be. We haven't made it yet. In fact we have a long way to go. Someday, maybe, all will have equal freedoms and be able to live equally with the same rights, and then Flag Day will be something to celebrate.

How to Tell a Repbulican

The following joke is by a commenter over at Crooks and Liars. I thought it was good enough to pass on to you guys.

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him, “Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don’t know where I am.”

The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, “You’re in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.

“She rolled her eyes and said, “You must be an Obama Democrat.”

“I am,” replied the man. “How did you know?”

“Well,” answered the balloonist, “everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information, and I’m still lost. Frankly, you’ve not been much help to me.”

The man smiled and responded, “You must be a Republican.”

“I am,” replied the balloonist. “How did you know?”

“Well,” said the man, “you don’t know where you are or where you are going. You’ve risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You’re in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it’s my fault.”

It's Been A Year...

A YEAR LATER

A few years ago an young teen was living with his parents in a South Florida town, going to high school like guys his age should. He was into music, like most teens are. He played sax and joined the school band. A lot of people liked him. He had a close circle of friends as most teens do. His life was going forward as is normal for a 16 year old. His parents loved him, his sisters did too, even though they loved to harass him. He was by all means, your normal average teen.

One warm Florida day in May 2010, his teacher noticed that he didn't look right. His color was off, kind of yellowish. That was the beginning of what was to become the worse two months for everyone that knew him. His parents and close friends were extremely concerned. They stuck by him, cared for him and loved him. His liver had failed, he was very lucky to get a transplant almost immediately. In July 2010 he got sick again ... went to the hospital again ... was diagnosed with leukemia and died in a few days. His family and friends stayed close to him.

It's been a year....

It's been a year we'll never forget....

It's been a year that the world changed....

It's been a year that lives changed....

It's been a year since an unfinished journey came to an end....

It's been a year with out a friend....

It's been a year with out a Love....

It's been the most difficult year of a Family's life....

It's been very hard on some close Friends

They have not had him around ... for the first time....

Their hearts were broken ...their lives changed forever....

They have Cried many tears....

They have asked WHY??....

They have searched for answers that don't exist....

They have found emptiness where there was hope and love....

Holidays that brought joy... now bring tears....

The most difficult thing to learn... life goes on....

The good and bad... Ups and downs... wars and peace....

They have found some new friends....

Others have become mysteriously absent...

Several families have become closer because of the tragedy

They have helped each other through the difficulties

but... They still feel the emptiness....

Happy Mothers Day Mom!!