What is Independence Day?

by Zechariah 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  Zechariah

  I am the lone Ex-JW in my otherwise loyal JW household. The change in myself in finally becoming part of the human race has made me realize some amazing things when it comes to July 4.

  All the adults in my household (5) could not answer my simple Independence Day trivia question. What is Independence Day a celebration of. The responses to the question were both shocking and appalling to me.

  All of my MOM, sister and grown nieces indicated each in their own way that they had no idea what the holiday was celebrating. Further their attitude was one of total apathy and disinterest when I with amazement at their ignorance explained to them the most simple of history lessons.

  I explained. We first fought the Revolutionary War to be free of being the property and colony of Britain. At its end we declared our Independence or freedom from England with the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. We at that time became the United States of AMERICA. No more taxation without representation and finally liberty and justice for all.

  This is much to celebrate I suggested to them all. Their response in each their own terms was to let THEM go right ahead it doesn't mean anything to me. How sad is this attitude for anyone who enjoys the freedoms and benefits of this country to be so unappreciative.

  I am for the first time really celebrating this most significant day. Being liberated from the oppressive Watchtower society gives me full appreciation for what it was like at the time in 1776 to be able to throw it in the face of Britain that she owns you no more. Though I literally wont be celebrating there is already symbolic fireworks going of in my heart and spirit. All because I am now as I am sure most all of you will concur Independent.

  Let me declare it loud. As Martin Luther King prophecied would occur. I am Free at last, Free at last. Great God Almighty I am free at last. Free from Watchtower slavery and the bondage to this significant segment of Babylon The Great.

  Happy Independence Day all you apostates (Independent thinkers)

  Zechariah<p class="editedBy">Edited by - zechariah on 4 July 2002 3:36:30</p>

  Edited by - zechariah on 4 July 2002 3:48:33

  Edited by - zechariah on 4 July 2002 3:59:56
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  Prisca

  And here I was thinking it was a movie starring Will Smith

  Edited by - Prisca on 4 July 2002 4:16:24
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  TheOldHippie

  Yeah, long live Nationalism - it hasn't created ANY problems down thru the centuries ......
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  DakotaRed

  Celebrating the day that your forefathers won independence from another nation does not fit my definition of Nationalism. I would also like to add that England, although being the nation that independence was won from, has been one of the greatest allies the US has ever had.

  To me, Nationalism would be denying your country has any faults and blindly accepting any and everything it says, over any other nation. The great thing about freedom is that we do have the right to question our leaders and demand needed changes as necessary.

  Lew W
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  TheOldHippie

  Yep, Dakota Red, but it is very easy to see what happens on this board too, if someone dares to raise a tiny bit of critisism against the US way of life or way of dealing with foreign peoples or nations not walking 100 % hand-in-hand with them. It seems to be so very easy at once to call out they are terrorists and Bib Laden - sympathisers and socialists and communists and who knows what. Because of the size and the power of USA, and the way they so often have acted as the World Police, US nationalism is not exactly regarded with the greatest amount of sympathy in the rest of the world. I remember I once dared to tell a US citizen I did not think the way Reagan treated the Sandinista government of Nicaragua was the best way to treat a foreign government, and he responded with "reporting me to the CIA as a communist terrorist" as he put it. Uncle Sam so quickly sends of his boys in blue to all parts of the world, but it seems to be so much easier to shoot that to try to find the reasons, and to try to heal and mend and point to the path for the future. Let the boys in blue stay for a year or so, and them call them back, and pretend everything will work out all right.
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  Prisca

  Nevermind, in accordance with Simon's request yesterday, I'm keeping out of the "USA is the greatest country in the world" debate.....

  Edited by - Prisca on 4 July 2002 7:1:54
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  jelly

  Interesting, Well happy 4th I will be spending it with my family down in the bay area.

  My advice is that the Old Hippy is just attempting to hijack this thread for her own rants just ignore her and post what youre doing to celebrate our wonderful nations independence. Honestly if you want to rant about something start you own thread dont hijack someone elses thread. Terry <p class="editedBy">Edited by - jelly on 4 July 2002 7:23:17</p>

  Edited by - jelly on 4 July 2002 7:26:41
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  Amazing

  Hi: One little correction, incase someone didn't catch it sooner.

  I explained. We first fought the Revolutionary War to be free of being the property and colony of Britain. At its end we declared our Independence or freedom from England with the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

  We Declared our Independance FIRST. Great Britain and its King were not going to accept this and sent troops to put an end to our Declared Independance. We then fought the war. The was did not end until around 1780.
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  DakotaRed

  Hippie, me thinks it is time for you to put fresh flowers in your hair. They seem to be wilted.

  Prisca, I, for one, don't believe my country is the greatest on the earth. Don't get me wrong, I do love my country and am proud to be an American, but I also believe that every other country has many merits that equal, if not exceed, America.

  Australia is one of the most beautiful countries I visited and has a history similar to Americas. England has a history that founded both of our countries. Germany and Japan were our mutual and bitter enemies not so long ago, yet, today, they are close friends. Sure, feathers get ruffled, but each and every country has good points and bad points. Even Cuba has it's merits.

  To me, today is a celebration of the founding of the country, not a Nationalistic, "we are better than you" day.

  Hippie, as you put your fresh flowers in your hair, forego the doobie, I think you've had enough

  Lew W
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  expatbrit

  Dakota:

  I would also like to add that England, although being the nation that independence was won from, has been one of the greatest allies the US has ever had.

  Thanks for pointing that out. One of the things that has always impressed me about the July 4th celebrations is the general lack of extremely negative feelings towards the British, which one might expect to find because of the nature of the occassion.

  Expatbrit