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The FReeper Canteen Presents... ~ Independence Day ~ July 4, 1776 ~ Preamble to the Declaration of Independence 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 abolish it, and to institute...

President Obama will celebrate July 4 tomorrow at the White House with a naturalization ceremony, the White House announced today. The president will be joined by Department of Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano. "On July 4, President Obama will deliver remarks at a naturalization ceremony for active duty service members in the East Room. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas will present the countries of the candidates for naturalization and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano will deliver the oath of allegiance," a White House press release reads.

On the night of July 1, 1776, after a steamy heat-and-storm-laden day, the Continental Congress took a break from debating declaring independence from Britain. Nine colonies, a majority, voted for independence, but there was a desperate need for a unanimous vote. That night, came the dreadful news of 100 British warships off the shores of New York City. The final vote came the next day, on July 2nd. New York abstained (and we thank them). John Dickinson of the divided Philadelphia delegation was absent. We thank him too. This has been my traditional Independence Day post for several years now. Taken...

Apparently tiring of US soil as a source of campaign dollars, the Obama campaign is headed overseas -- with its celebrity friends in tow. The European Obama campaign starts next week in Paris on July 4 with a reception organized by various fundraising heavy-hitters. Independence Day fundraisers in Paris – now that’s a flag-waving campaign.

Hillsdale College Announces “Read The Declaration” Campaign Seeks Largest-Ever Nationwide Reading of the Declaration of Independence MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Cella 703-286-9677 jcella “at” hillsdale.edu Hillsdale, Michigan - Hillsdale College launched a national “Read the Declaration” campaign earlier this month which encourages Americans to celebrate Independence Day, July 4, by reading the entirety of the Declaration of Independence out loud with their friends and family. The College asks people to commit to this reading by visiting www.readthedeclaration.com. Those who do will also receive a free booklet containing the full text of the Declaration and the Constitution. The campaign has more than...

Now that the last of the fireworks have faded and the coals on the grill have cooled, I'm reflecting on what Independence Day means and what it is we actually commemorate on that day. It is, of course, our nation's birthday. But as with most secular holidays lately, it has become a day to remember, thank and celebrate those who fought wars on behalf of us all. That's always a worthy thing to do but while July 4, 1776 may have officially set off what would become the Revolutionary War, it was most importantly a day when American politicians did...

Charles Carroll, founding father and "an exemplar of Catholic and republican virtue" Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only son of Charles Carroll of Annapolis, was born in 1737 and died in November 1832. He was the lone Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence and the last of the signers to die. Last year I interviewed Dr. Brad Birzer, Assistant Professor of History at Hillsdale College and author of American Cicero: The Life of Charles Carroll (ISI, 2010). Here is some of that interview:Ignatius Insight: In what ways was Charles Carroll an "American Cicero"? Dr. Birzer: Beginning sometime in his...

I've been roaming YouTube today, just listening to various patriotic American songs, and thought I'd ask the group for contributions. If you've run across some patriotic music that you'd like to share today, post the link here. I'll start off with this one: America The Beautiful - Ray Charles

He rose to speak in the midst of a colonial war that would prove more than a colonial war but a whole Novus Ordo Seclorum, as it still says on the dollar bill, or A New Order for the Ages. Eloquent rhetorician, thoughtful student of history and insightful analyst of events in his own time, Edmund Burke had decided ideas about what made nations great and what undermined them. The member of parliament for Bristol understood very well what was at stake in the coming conflict over the nature of the British empire: the empire itself. Author, orator, thinker, and...

I had a "front row seat" in the "cradle of liberty" 35 years ago today. It was my good fortune to have been invited by family members living in an apartment three blocks from Independence Hall in Philadelphia for the festivities. The week before and week after were filled with numerous events, official and unofficial. At 6am on the morning of the 4th, I ate breakfast at a center city restaurant, then walked to see that large crowds were already gathered outside the police lines and areas closed off around Independence Hall. A landing zone had been set up for...

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces. Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today! ~ Hall of Heroes ~Independence Day             The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them,...

Have any of you thought about this? What if America never happened? WWI, WWII all that. And there's more. What are your thoughts?

ABC's "This Week" began its Independence Day weekend program with a segment that echoed Time magazine's cover story questioning whether the Constitution matters anymore. After historian Douglas Brinkley said, "We shouldn't act like [the Founding Fathers] were somehow omnipotent," ABC's John Donvan responded, "They were not gods, they were guys - guys who didn't give women the vote and let slavery stand"

  It’s Not Dependence Day David C. Stolinsky July 4, 2011 A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.− Edward R. Murrow In order to observe a holiday celebrating our independence, we need to recall what the word means. Do we? Some parts of America, especially its liberal half, have been described as infantile. Many people regard the federal government as their parent. They expect it to provide for the needs of their young children, their elderly parents, and sometimes themselves. In these respects, many Americans − and most Western Europeans − act like children. Children recognize...

Every year when July 4th rolls around, Americans from coast to coast celebrate July 4th with cookouts, outdoor concerts and fireworks. We love celebrating Independence Day and yet we are deeply enslaved to debt. We like to think of ourselves as "free" and yet we have rolled up the biggest pile of debt the world has ever seen. The people that we have borrowed all of this money from expect to be paid. Sadly, instead of addressing the problem, we have been loading more debt on to the backs of future generations with each passing year. What we are...

I think the United States of America should no longer celebrate the Fourth of July. Yes, I said it. I'm not taking it back. The United States of America should no longer celebrate the Fourth of July. The Fourth of July is a celebration of Freedom. The Fourth of July is a celebration of Limited Government. The Fourth of July is a celebration of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It's a time to celebrate Independence from foreign powers. It's the time to reflect on what makes America American. Well, since none of these values are apparent in today's...

CORPUS CHRISTI — Why would anyone steal a U.S. flag from a war memorial? And just days before the Fourth of July? "That's the flag. It's in our schools, our hospitals, our government buildings," said Vietnam veteran Ram Chavez. "It's draped over the casket of those who've died defending this country." For the past three years, the city has depended on Chavez, founder of the Veterans Band of Corpus Christi, and the group's members to lower the U.S. flags at the city World War Memorial in a brief, but respectful ceremony when the flags become worn and to replace the...

Four years ago, I wrote a column titled "America Needs a July Fourth Seder." In it, I explained that "national memory dies without national ritual. And without a national memory, a nation dies." Many readers and listeners to my radio show responded by creating their own rituals to make the day far more meaningful than watching fireworks and eating hot dogs. I now present a simple 10-minute ceremony that every American can easily use on July Fourth. It is a product of the Internet-based Prager University that I founded nearly two years ago. We call it the Fourth of July...

Although no specific plot has been identified, revelers this Fourth of July can expect extraordinary security -- from expanded patrols and SWAT units to biological weapon response teams and undercover officers mingling with celebratory crowds. "It's absolutely not a joke," said New York police Sgt. Thomas Horvath, who took ABC News on patrol around New York City's waterways. "The threat is very real. On the day of the [July 4] event, we're going to put out basically every asset we have."...

   Ambassador Oren Remarks to Mark July 4th, U.S. Independence Day  Friday, 01 July 2011 14:26    July 4th is, of course, a special day for Americans, and we Israelis celebrate it as well. We celebrate with you because America’s independence is essential to Israel’s independence. Your love of liberty is the same as ours and our reverence for democracy is identical. We rejoice because your Founding Fathers were inspired by our Founding Fathers.Back in 1776, American patriots compared King George III to the ancient Pharaoh who enslaved the Jews. George Washington, in their minds, was Moses and John Adams...