Question Of The Week, 7/2/06
Good morning. I hope all of you are enjoying your Independence Day weekend. If you come by here often you might already know I have a little problem with Holidays. So this weeks Question Of The Week will be several questions about the Independence Day Holiday.
1. When speaking to friends, family or co-workers do you call it Independence Day, or 4th of July?
2. How do you celebrate it, picnics, a few beers and fireworks with family and friends? Or do you take some time to think about the meaning of the Special Day?
3. I think we should be teaching younger family members why we celebrate each and every Holiday.If you were going to start a family tradition that would help younger family members learn why we celebrate Independence Day what would it be?
I'll post my answers in the Comment Section Monday night.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
1. When speaking to friends, family or co-workers do you call it Independence Day, or 4th of July?
2. How do you celebrate it, picnics, a few beers and fireworks with family and friends? Or do you take some time to think about the meaning of the Special Day?
3. I think we should be teaching younger family members why we celebrate each and every Holiday.If you were going to start a family tradition that would help younger family members learn why we celebrate Independence Day what would it be?
I'll post my answers in the Comment Section Monday night.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
posted by David Schantz | 1:55 AM
11 Comments:
1. I use the 4th of July with the groups you mentioned, but Independence Day with students.
2. My husband and I used to host a huge cookout for friends and family, but as we've gotten older, the preparations are just too much for us. Also, we used to visit and decorate the graves of our family members buried at Arlington National Cemetery. But the mob of tourists there gets larger every year, so we tend not to go on July 4 now.
Now I go to the swimming pool on July 4. I take my patriotic beach towel (Statue of Liberty) and wear a stars-and-stripes sun visor. Later in the day, we go to the VFW for the open-house there, then follow up by watching fireworks out here in the suburbs. After that, we come home to see the videotaped fireworks, particularly the event at the National Mall. And we eat watermelon!
My family always emphasized the meaning of Independence Day, but we had fun too. In the school I attended as a youngster, the last day of classes, a few weeks before Independence Day, we reviewed the Declaration of Independence and sang the National Anthem--all the verses! A kind of early celebration.
We have always displayed the flag here at our house on Independence Day. In fact, since 9/11, the flag is always hanging from our eaves.
3. Memorize the Declaration of Independence and all the verses to our National Anthem. The meaning of Independence Day should be communicated to each generation. Don't trust the schools to do that job!
Also, we Christians should take time to pray for our nation and her leaders, particularly on July 4.
1. When speaking to friends, family or co-workers do you call it Independence Day, or 4th of July?
I call it Independence Day.
2. How do you celebrate it, picnics, a few beers and fireworks with family and friends? Or do you take some time to think about the meaning of the Special Day?
I usually talk to people about the loss of our freedoms. Last year I wrote a three and a half page rant about the loss of our freedoms and called for FEMA to be abolished. I also spend time reading the books I have on the American Revolution. I still spend time with family and friends, but my duty is to save the republic.
3. I think we should be teaching younger family members why we celebrate each and every Holiday. If you were going to start a family tradition that would help younger family members learn why we celebrate Independence Day what would it be?
While I don’t have a family (wife and kids) now, that is still a few years away, I think the first thing I do is try to have enough money to send my children to a private school without the lies that I was told, without the drug cops going in and telling students they were going to force them to take a drug test for no reason, they could search their cars without warrants and if they found any drug items, even if their car was stolen they would take it without a trial or due process.
By taking my children out of the public education system, I could teach them the truth about our government without competition for the socialists who teach that everyone has a right to everyone's property. As far a traditions that is something I will have to think about.
I do not celebrate our Independance day. Especially since the occupation of Iraq. I feel its wrong simply because we have soldiers far away fighting for what they believe to be our freedom. I feel they are fighting for oil, but thats beside the point.
I will be toiling away on my computer, raging against our current leaders and their trumped up issues. I have a huge piece I am writing that addresses many things, most importantly a recent poll conducted by a progressive group, of swing state voters and what they want in thier candidates this election year. The results were quite interesting.
Have a good weekend David, rest up, relax and remember those that fought for this day when our country was young and in its infancy.
1. 4th of July
2. Usually my husband and kids and I spend the holiday with my parents, we have a cookout, usually hamburgers (how much more American can ya get?) and after dark we shoot fireworks.
3. Since we homeschool patriotism is very important to us so we talk about the history of the US when ever we can, just like we do Chrstmas and Easter.
My 6 year old understands there really isn't a santa, not in the Christmas is all about Santa way, but he can tell you just what the 4th of July, Christmas and Easter REALLY are.
I hope everyone, especially those that don't support the day, has a great 4th of July.. and take time to remember what the 4th of July is all about... the day we declared our Independence. And when reflecting upon the day remember those who gave all for this nation to be what she is today, heroes all in my book. God Bless them and everyone that has followed in their footsteps.
1. Fourth of July, which in our family is synonymous with Independence.
2. We celebrate quietly; pay our respects to my wife's father's grave (he was a WW II vet) and watch whatever fireworks are available locally.
3. I think we should teach the young what happens when a nation goes down the slippery slope. There are plenty of examples to choose; that's for sure. It is imperative to make people understand that what we enjoy here is not exactly a right, unless you are willing to fight for it. It's a gift from the past and we should not ever lose gratitude for that gift.
Did I ever mention that I'm an immigrant? Just saying that since in total I've only had 5 Independence days in the US (day after tomorrow will be the 6th) now for the questions
1. I've never really thought about it, but I think I usually say Independence Day.
2. Haven't celebrated that much really, though I am going to a bonfire. Of course I think about it's meaning, history being of so much interest to me.
3. If only time machines existed...but if I were to teach anyone anything, it wouldn't just be the meaning of this day, I would teach them about everything people were doing before July 4th, the dramas that were played out, how it was not always certain who would win due to the battle between the pro-war and pro-appeasement sides in the Continental Congress. Also, that July 2nd is actually the day that we voted for Independence.
I also believe that, if we were going to spend so much time on Independence Day, we should also teach our kids about the Constitution, and it's story. Also, I disagree with Always on Watch, memorization does not teach respect among children, teaching the history of the document does.
1.My ancestors had always used "Fourth of July" and over the years it is still my reference to the day.
2.It's a quiet day at our household with a backyard "picnic". Some years ago when we'd make a family vacation trip back to St.Joseph Missouri, there would be some covert firework activity, but now some of us are too old and others disinterested and we understand that the authorities have "cracked down" considerably. It IS a day that our family does think about history and reflect upon it.
3.We have emphasized to our children the reason the day is celebrated, that it is an anniversary in the struggle for human freedom and led to our Bill of Rights. We also have taught them that it is a chapter in that history of struggle and we celebrate another chapter ten days later, on the Fourteenth of July.
Hmmm...I was really wondering what I was going to do for the 4th. I have an idea but it seems a little grandiose...I might start writing a historical novel about our forefathers.
Scriptor,
I disagree with Always on Watch, memorization does not teach respect among children, teaching the history of the document does.
Just to clarify...Memorization is just one step; understanding the meaning is the next. In the classes I teach, I have students first memorize the words, then explain in their own words. Memorization is a tool to reach the end.
I want to thank you all for stopping by to answer this weeks question. There are some great comments here.Since I'm not working tonight I'll be able to get the questions answered on Monday night like I keep saying I'll do. Is it 4th of July or Independence Day? I prefer Independence Day. The day our Founding Fathers secured our Freedom/Liberty, Independence. We're going to have to work a little harder to keep it. How do I celebrate Independence Day? Seems like it rains around here every year on Independence Day, so much for the picnic, it's already started raining. I quit drinking so I won't be having a beer. I've done to much damage to my hearing to be setting off fire works. So, I'll watch Mel Gibsons movie The Patriot, again and hunt for some little known facts about our Revolution on the Internet. The stuff we my have forgotten or were never taught in school. What would I do to help a younger family member learn the meaning of the day? Pick one of any of our Founding Documents, read and disscuss it with them. Find out what it means to them and tell them what it means to you. Read the bio of some of our Founding Fathers and soldiers (Like Joseph Plum Martin)that fought in our Revolution. Let them see what these brave men (and women) went through and lost to make this a free nation. Remind them that freedom is not free and they will have to work for the rest of their lives to keep the gift our Founding Fathers left them.
I hope you all have a Safe and Happy Independence Day.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
1. Early American called it Fourth of July. I always told to my friends as "Independence Day"
2. We have a BBQ and watching some Patriotic Movies
3. We attend some Independence Day events to remind my Children what Independence Day is all about.
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