Independence Day

Today is the Fourth of July in the United States of America, a day when we celebrate what it is that makes our country great. I've contemplated moving (maybe permanently) to other countries recently, but I always remember that I'd be giving up a lot, even if I wouldn't be entirely aware of it.

However, I think that every American has a duty today, if not leading up to the next election, to remember that much of our liberty and freedom, that our forefathers fought so bravely for, has been taken away in order to support a war that hasn't entirely been on the up and up. I wholeheartedly support our troops, who are doing their jobs under less than forthright circumstances. But we have to take a stand, not just against terrorism, but against a country that no longer trusts its own people.

The Patriot Act, The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and other legislation are all designed to slowly remove freedoms specifically granted, and we need to bring the fight home, the fight to regain the very things that make America what it is. America is not powerful corporations and lobbies, it is not the rich and influential few, it is every one of us.

The Fourth of July isn't just about fireworks and taking a four-day weekend. Our independence isn't worth having if it's not worth standing up for. Being a patriot sometimes means speaking out instead of blindly following, even when it's not the popular thing to say.

Have a safe Fourth of July!