Happy Fourth! Happy Independence Day!

First and foremost: Happy Independence Day! For those of you working at the park today, I'm sorry, but try to enjoy the day the best you can. For those of you elsewhere, resist the urge to simply stay indoors today watching the Macy's Fireworks Show and go out to watch a local show somewhere. Even if you have to pay to get in like up here in the Northwest Arkansas area. I don't mind though because the majority of proceeds fund the show for next year.

Next, I've got to say I enjoyed this post from an acquaintance of mine (knew her from working at the park and through my wife). She has some decent points to make and some great quotes and videos, one of which I've decided to post here. The first clip is from the movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington which I have not seen, but the clip is pretty good. The second clip is from a movie I just finished watching a couple days ago: The Majestic. When it first debuted in theaters, I had been let down by The Truman Show, so I never got around to seeing it. Finally, a friend let me borrow it mentioning that I'd probably like it. I gave it a go, and enjoyed it immensely! I hope you'll enjoy the clip I've included here for you.

Either way, while you're going about your labors or fun today, please remember why we are celebrating this day. We do it to remember the day our Founding Fathers signed The Declaration of Independence and the beginning of our new country with its freedoms and privileges. We do it to remember the battles fought, against other countries and among ourselves, to retain those freedoms and privileges. But mostly, we celebrate our Independence Day to remind ourselves that we still live in a country with freedoms that are not available to all humankind. We have a right to make sure that those freedoms are available for many years to come!

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington



The Majestic

"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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government."