This Monday, July 4, 2022, we celebrate the 246th birthday of his nation we call the United States of America.

I have to thank the founding fathers who wrote the Declaration of Independence and to all those brave men and brave families who fought for this initial freedom from England and thank all those who have been fighting to protect the many, many freedoms we have in this country that are outlined in our U.S. Constitution.

These are freedoms we should hold dear and never take for granted.

These are freedoms that we should celebrate Monday and every day.

The authors of the Declaration of Independence wrote, “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.”

And, after outlining the grievances they had with the throne, they wrote, “We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.”

Right there in that paragraph they officially, unequivocally declared their independence. The birth of a nation.

I realize there is much dissent in this country, pick a topic and there are many divisive sides.

But, I have said many times and I will take time once again to say I still believe we live in the greatest country in the world. We have the most freedoms, some would say too many, some would say too little, but there are more than any other country, especially when talking, free speech, free press, freedom to peaceably assemble, freedom to worship whom and how you wish, freedom to learn, to be educated, to marry whom you chose, to work where you choose, to read what you want, to watch what you want, and the freedom to disagree with your neighbor, with the mayor, with the commissioners, with the governor, with the president.

That’s right, disagree all you want, even disagree with me, but I have been and am now, proud to be an American, a citizen of the United States of America, “land of the free and home of the brave,” (Francis Scott Key).

-- Karla Pomeroy