Reason Number 30 I Love the US Leading Up To the Fourth
Inspired by a friend, the last reason I love the US leading up to the 4th of July is the Road Trip. Sure you may be able to do road trips in other countries but I don’t take for granted the feeling of safety I have in the US when traveling around the country AND the ability to to see so much of the country in a short period of time.
I’ve done 3-4 true road trips and many other long distance trips on the highways and I always marvel at how easy it all is. Multiple routes to get where you want to go, multiple sights to see and so many different kinds of people to meet. Whether you do it in luxury in a big RV or you do it in your car sleeping in Wal-Mart parking lots, I truly just love riding the roads in the US.
I’ve never done a road trip in Europe, and I’m sure it’s amazing, but I will admit that I love being able to travel a large distance and still speak the same language. And I have road tripped a little in Brazil and the thought of getting stuck on the side of the road at midnight in the middle of nowhere is a bit scarier there than it is on your home soil where you know “how” things work.
So as we get ready to celebrate one of our own unique holidays, please don’t take for granted the freedoms we do have, the cultural diversity we represent and the love we should have for one another regardless of viewpoints, family background or political ideals. In God’s eyes we are all created equal and the foresight of the founders who created this republic to note that in our Declaration of Independence helped lay the groundwork needed for true growth as a nation spiritually and economically. Every American can rejoice “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Some things to note about some of the founding fathers...
They were rebels and risking a LOT when they collaborated and signed the Declaration of Independence. The penalty for rebellion was death and 5 signers were captured, labeled traitors and executed (https://michaelwsmith.com/2015/07/04/the-sacrifices-made-by-the-declaration-signers/). There are some other stories in this blog post that help frame things too-things we aren’t paying attention to when we only come at history through the lens of a critic. These men were men of means and education and they risked it ALL for freedom. Many lost their homes and family members as well. These were men that stood for what they believed, even though it wasn’t necessarily popular or safe - ideals we cherish today!
Some facts about the declaration: https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/10-fascinating-facts-about-the-declaration-of-independence
Some facts about the revolution: https://www.ushistory.org/us//13b.asp
