Happy Fourth of July.

Ugghhh. No other sentence or expression in American culture could cause me to wretch and heave as violently as this particular phrase.

Anti-American? Quite the opposite, my friend, quite the opposite.

Ask the average person on the street what the fourth day of the seventh month means to them. As a matter of fact most local news programs will more than likely be doing just that as they do every year. Joe and Jane American will, with excitement in their eyes, list various things and events like cookouts, fireworks, not having to work and perhaps a little baseball, hot dogs and apple pie.

What’s wrong with that?

Everyone gathers together to grill burgers and dogs, shoot the bull, throw down multiple brews, and when it gets dark, watch the night get lit up – not like Uncle Ted and Grandpa – by brilliant bursts of colors blooming across the sky in rapid succession. Kids will be running around the darkened yard waving sparklers frantically about attempting to spell out their names in the night air. Dogs and cats will be heading for cover as the sounds of bombs bursting in air torment their fragile ears, not to mention the shrill shrieks of the exuberant little tykes prancing about.

What could I possibly find wrong with all of this?

Freedom. Or more precisely the absence of the celebration of freedom.

Too many people get caught up in the events of this day that they forget that the official name of the day is Independence Day – the day we, as Americans celebrate the birth of our nation.

The citizens of America are so quick to adopt a catchy saying or phrase that they forget the true meaning. Don’t believe me? Look at the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

How many times, since that day, have you heard someone use the phrase “September 11, 2001” when referring to that day? I would wager on few to none. Ahh, but you will hear “Nine-eleven,” or worse, “Nine-one-one” – catchy little phrases that remove or denigrate the meaning of that day.

The same goes for this coming Saturday. Most Americans will be celebrating the Fourth of July and not Independence Day. And I believe that is exactly what our politicians desire because if we do not celebrate our Independence it will be that much easier for them to confiscate it from us. And too many people will willingly do so in order to be coddled by the nanny state.

To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin: Those who will trade freedom for security deserve neither.

When it comes to these two choices, as the American patriot Patrick Henry said, “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me Liberty or give me Death.”

Go celebrate your Fabulous Fourth; I’ll be celebrating my Independence... while we still have it.

Happy Birthday, America!