If you've read up on the subject, or even just seen HBO's weird but entertaining John Adams miniseries, you'll know that the date, 7/4/1776 has almost no historical significance. No matter. This is America - we celebrate however we want!

And what's not to celebrate about the ideals that led to the project that is America, the valor of those who executed our Revolution, and the little document that changed everything.

It's beautiful, and maybe a little telling, that we chose to celebrate our nation's birthday based on the signing of a document. It's not an anniversary of a bloody battle, or the founding of the Treasury, or some other such thing. And when it seems as though we've lost our way, we have our birth date, July 4th, pointing back to the very words that tell us why we are here: "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

The American Story.

To me, today is so much about giving thanks. For the leadership of our founders, for our legislators and executives who take on the task of caring for our nations (especially those who do it well!) and for the citizens who participate actively, every day, in the care and upkeep of our democracy.

Liberty and union, now and forever,
democrafty