Apple Pie and the Fourth of July
Summer is in full swing here in Northeastern Tennessee, gardens are beginning to produce, the grass needs mowed (again and again), there’s the lazy buzz of insects in the air, and a hot sun pushing us to the cool shade. Along with the start of summer is the annual 4th of July, Independence Day celebration. Mountain City will have an afternoon parade, and over the weekend numerous venues will have fireworks. The 4th conjures up visions of the old Red White and Blue, picnics, time at the lake or pool, ice cream, family, and all things Americana; the 4th is as American as Apple Pie!
Two hundred and forty-seven years ago, our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. Signaling the birth of a new nation, all thirteen original colonies declared their independence from England, a task that would take another seven years to come to fruition; seven years of battle, hardship, and courage. Out of that conflict, was born a new type of country with a new type of government. The document that started it all says, in part:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights… These are fighting words, words worth dying for. And for many of the original Patriots, that was the price they had to pay in order to create the greatest nation on earth. Not all Patriots paid the ultimate price, many paid a high price in other ways, financial ruin, loss of family, loss of friends, loss of property, loss of health.
Freedom isn’t Free, it never has been, never will be. There will always be some tyrant who seeks to impose his will on others. Tyrants who seek to enslave others or force others to bend to their will. From the earliest days of America until now, there has been a continuous stream of citizen-soldiers that have stepped to the fore and stood in the gap to defend their homeland, their way of life, and their loved ones. The battle has been difficult at times, sometimes too close to home, at other times in the far-flung regions of the world, but one thing has always remained true, the heart of the American Warrior.
The old saying that All Gave Some, Some Gave All is true, truer than most Americans realize. All Combat Veterans know someone who gave their life on the battlefield, having stoically attended too many Memorial Services in theater to recount; and all Combat Veterans left something on the battlefield, whether it was our innocence, our well-being, our self-assuredness, or our mental health. Combat destroys so much and doesn’t leave any participant untouched; all Veterans are forever changed.
The transition from Warrior to civilian is often a difficult one. Some might think we would be bitter toward the country that sent us to war, but that is rare. Many are bitter at the government for failed promises, or failed policies. Many are bitter at the military for leaving them with a sense of being expendable, a tool discarded when no longer needed. Many are bitter at society for being so vain, so shallow, so focused on temporal, meaningless things, impervious to the fact that Warriors have died so that they don’t have to worry about their safety at night. But most Veterans still love this country with a devotion beyond compare; and as broken as they may be, they would again fight for her if called upon.
It is incredible that the United States of America celebrates its Independence, not with military parades and shows of strength, but with picnics and small-town parades, fireworks and ice cream, watermelon and swimming, with love and laughter. This is true patriotism, living a life worthy of the sacrifices that have made that life possible. America’s Veterans look forward to the 4thof July, recognizing fully what it took, and still takes, to ensure the freedom of this great nation. A nation of people, messy people, who don’t agree on much, but who do agree that this country, and the freedoms we have, are worth celebrating, worth protecting, and worth promoting. Most Veterans simply wish that the patriotism of the 4th of July would carry over to the rest of the year. That children would understand the cost of freedom, people would know the cost of founding this nation, and that all citizens would understand their role in preserving our freedoms for generations to come.
Peace Mountain Ranch celebrates the Independence of United States of America, a nation forged in the crucible of war, and refined in the fire of battle. We are eternally grateful for the men and women who have made it possible to celebrate this year. We stand ready to help Veterans, struggling with the pain of battle, to find peace, hope and healing.
Happy Independence Day! Happy Fourth of July!
