Reflections

The United States of America just celebrated her 234th Birthday. How do you suppose people across this country celebrated?

With people risking their lives every day to gain access to this country, both legally and illegally, it makes you wonder why people risk everything to come here and hardly anyone ever leaves.

This blog entry is not going to be about illegal immigration. This blog entry is going to be about what makes America the place for which everyone wants to risk everything to come.

America was founded 234 years ago by the bravest of people. The Founding Fathers did not know what was to come of their experiment, they only knew it was worth risking everything they had, including their lives, to escape tyranny.

I go back to how do you think people across the country celebrated our nation's birthday?

I would say prior to 2009, most people would most likely have seen the 4th of July as an excuse to have a day off from work, or to have barbecues with family and friends.

While those things still hold true for most people, this year I believe that more and more people are reflecting upon what truly makes this country the best country in the world; what makes this country the country people risk everything for to make it to our shores: LIBERTY.

People come to the United States of America because we hold certain values as a nation. We practice and rely upon freedoms and liberty to help make our own way in this country and in this world.

Sometimes it is important to take a step back and look at the big picture. It is so very easy to get lost in the details of an issue or a debate. It is important to see WHY people come to this country.

They come here because there is no better opportunity to make a better life for yourself and your family than there is in this country. There is no more fertile ground for success, whatever your definition, than here, in America. Generations of immigrants have recognized this and made personal sacrifices to better their situations in life.

Why, then, do we take such liberty and freedom for granted? Why do we need to be reminded only once a year, on our country's birthday, why this country was founded and what this country stands for?

Isn't she worth fighting for every day?