When in the Course of human events...

How many of you knew, before making the connection with today's date and the nature of my blogging, that these words began the Declaration of Independence?

How many of you know what the Declaration of Independence REALLY means?

On July 4, 1776, a group of men called the Second Continental Congress adopted this document. This document was a dissolving of the political and governmental ties to the state of Great Britain. While it was adopted on July 4, 1776, and essentially gave birth to the United States of America, only John Hancock, the elected President of Congress, signed the declaration on this day. (Thank you to Wikipedia for the information. View the entire Declaration of Independence as well as the history of the document at Wikipedia here .)

July 4, is celebrated as America's birthday. It is the symbolic date in which the world forever changed. It is the date upon which the last semblance of the British Empire was erased due to the unfair taxes and practices of the King of England. Some of the information I read at the above Wikipedia link was old hat, old news that I had heard during my liberally-biased education in elementary and high school history and civics classes.

However, those old facts and the new facts I had not learned all came together, along with something I had heard on the radio the other day. Sean Hannity, as well as several other conservative radio hosts I listen to, play clips of President Ronald Reagan's speeches from time to time, courtesy of the Heritage Foundation.

In this particular instance, the late, great President Reagan is talking about how America's traditions and power are eroding because of a lack of understanding by current generations. America, the America that Reagan still envisioned and loved, the America that the parents of the baby boomers fought and suffered and died for without regret or reservation, is falling further and further into the past. It eroding and fading away.

I have come to a conclusion based on my Wikipedia reading, and the inspirational words of President Reagan. Today, the day we celebrate America's birth, freedom, and independence, we need to sit down during the weekend and revisit our history.

The generations that are running the world today have lost touch with the realities of what made America great. We have lost our identity and pride. American pride is washing away into the oceans of guilt, regret and self-loathing, as brought on by the bleeding hearts on TV.

Why are there liberals who project a feeling of guilt when it comes to our freedoms, prosperity, and success? Why do we have Americans who hold disdain for their own country due to the very freedoms that allow them the right to publicly hold and display that disdain?

We need to revisit the sacrifices of the men, women, and children of the wars in which America has fought. From the French and Indian War to the Revolutionary War to the War of 1812 to the Civil War to the two World Wars to the Cold War to Korea to Vietnam to the two Persian Gulf Wars, Americans take for granted the sacrifices and pride taken in those sacrifices.

Do we really, truly know what it means to be an American? Do you know what John Hancock and the Second Continental Congress was trying to accomplish with the Declaration of Independence? Do you know what the Bill of Rights really means?

More importantly, are you proud to be an American? Are you thankful to God to be living here? If not, perhaps President Reagan was right. Perhaps you desperately need to relearn and comprehend your country's rich history, and redevelop your pride and appreciation for this great land.

As I conclude this July 4th blog, let me add a deep, heartfelt thank you to the following people for their sacrifices, sometimes unintentional and unwilling, that made America the greatest country in the history of man kind. I say that this is the greatest without reservation, shame, embarrassment, or any negativity of any kind. I say it because it is fact. America is the greatest country, EVER.

Thank you for making the blog and country possible:
-Current and past members of the Armed Forces.
-The wives, widows, and orphans of Armed Forces personnel, past and present.
-The victims and the families of those lost in the attacks on 9-11-01
-The victims and families of the attacks on the American Embassies in the 1980's and 1990's
-The men and women in uniform for the nation's police, fire, and rescue units.
-Men and women like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingram, and the countless others who love their country and make no mistake about their American Pride.
-The men and women and children who constantly pray for the safety and return home of our soldiers in harm's way.
-The leaders in the Second Continental Congress who took the bold initiative to Declare our independence from the tyrant British leadership in 1776.
-The tireless and endless support of our allies in Britain, Poland, Australia, Israel, and the many other countries who have been by America's side since 9/11.

Thank you to the groups I mentioned above, and millions of other people who have given me the opportunity to live in the freedom and greatness of America.

Happy Birthday, America! God bless us all!