Happy 4th!—Let Freedom Ring!

This is one of my favorite holidays and it is not just that my sons and wife enjoy doing our own fireworks display as much as I, or that it is a great time to relax on the water at Lake Sara. I enjoy reflecting each year on what the 4th of July means and thinking of the new freedoms that have germinated around the globe in the past year.

The 4th of July was the start of a movement that would alter the world for centuries. And it is a movement that is growing in importance. Prior to July 4, 1776 the world was ruled by kings, dukes and despots. There was one way to do things…Their Way! There was no room for dissent in that Old World. If you disagreed with the ruler of the day, at best you might be thrown into a dungeon. At worst, you would lose your head.

America’s radical Declaration of Independence, which began as an idea and quickly spread into a movement, has become the dominant socio-political force in the world today. Communism, socialism and other utopian type systems have been tried and discarded because they were found to be sorely lacking. Granted, there are still dictators and despots ruining parts of the world, but their influence is quickly being eroded.

The growth of world shrinking technologies, which allow for quicker dissipation of ideas and news, like satellite television, cheaper air travel and most importantly the internet, have allowed for the rapid spread of freedom and democracy. The freedom movement is like a pebble thrown in a pool or a snowball rolling downhill. It is picking up momentum and moving to all parts of the globe. In its path, it is liberating millions of people and raising hope for those who have been repressed for generations.

The signers of the Declarations of Independence couldn’t have envisioned what this new idea of Freedom would lead to. But, if they hadn’t had the idea and determination to succeed the world would be a much different place to live in.

Let Freedom Ring!