4th of july home of the free because of the brave

They didn't get much company in Grange so they were delighted when Sinclair asked if he could come over for a few days, to work on the lottery story. Roddy worked for the state, inspecting gasoline pumps, while Joan taught third grade at the county elementary school. Roddy and Joan were thrilled to assist Joan's brother on such an important journalistic assignment in fact, they'd have been ecstatic to help with the weekly crop report. 'Well, it happened,' she replied, unmoved.Īustin was stunned.I'll be damned! he said, with a curious mixture of delight and foreboding.Ivan! What's happened to you? she said, afraid of the answer.Īnne-Marie plugged in the filled kettle. We will be together - gay and straight, black and white, servicemember and civilian– celebrating the America we hope can be.I had heard the rumor that Crystal Singers hibernated.Īgatha, he said softly, as if it were a prayer. In many ways, I think this tiny Fourth of July celebration is exactly what we needed this year. We are all observing the same practices, so our three households feel comfortable having a small outdoor gathering this year. Since we are still practicing social distancing, we will be celebrating only with our closest family. My family is grateful for the recent Supreme Court rulings that protect Dreamers and our LGBTQIA+ loved ones. My heart wants to believe that, come November, our country will vote to move on from this bizarre chapter of history. I am hopeful that this presidential administration is almost done. It feels like something new is happening.

I hold onto the belief that things can still get better.

I will wear my red, white and blue to acknowledge the men and women who make my life better just by being in it. Of course, I wish the world was so peaceful that a standing military was obsolete, but that is not reality. But I am proud to know and love the individuals who serve to keep our military running. I can acknowledge the issues many have with the military as a whole. I am surrounded by airmen and soldiers in my life. “The military” is not just an industry to me. I am proud of individual servicemembers who sign up to carry out military duties. I’ll celebrate the protests of yesteryear that have led us to today. I’ll celebrate the hope that I feel when I see police force policies changing and statues being removed in response to assertive, bold protesters who are unwilling to be silenced anymore. To stand with your protest sign, knowing that demonstrations sometimes turn dangerous, but accepting that risk in order to affect real change is powerful and brave. I am proud to share this soil with courageous human beings who organize massive protests and demonstrations to demand change. We need so many things to change before we can truly call this the Sweet Land of Liberty.īut I will still be celebrating the Fourth of July with my closest family this year because, while we are still working toward being the Land of the Free, we are already the Home of the Brave. This country is just a lot right now, and the things I mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg. People are acting like wearing a mask during a deadly pandemic is akin to losing their right to religious freedom. Our president is reversing health care protections for trans people, putting them at risk. Black people are crying out, loud and clear, about the way they have suffered at the hands of police forces across the nation. This year, celebrating our country as it is gives me pause.

4th of july home of the free because of the brave