When our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence, everyone wanted to come to America. They wanted to make new lives for themselves where they would be financially successful and secure no matter who they were. America was the land of opportunity, protected by the warm promise of freedom.

Unfortunately, wealth and the “good life” were hard to find once immigrants arrived. It was a fight for day-to-day survival.

Maybe I’ve watched too many documentaries, or maybe I’ve listened to too many tales passed down through my family — but to me it seems if I were an immigrant, I would have given up.

Luckily, the founders of this country were nothing like me. It seems that the hope of freedom motivated them enough to keep them going.

The idea of freedom has been discussed more in the past week than it has so far this year because of two important reasons: Clinton’s visit to China and the upcoming Fourth of July celebration.

The Fourth of July is more than driving to Missouri to buy illegal fireworks or a three-day weekend. It’s a time to give thanks and appreciate the fact that we can gather with our family and friends and have barbecues and baseball games. Despite all of our problems — guns in school, social security depletion, the welfare system and discrimination — ours is still a truly fortunate society, in that there is economic growth and development and a stable government.

During this time, we also have to examine why our country has done this well for so long.

I think one simple answer is that our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers refused to give up. They worked to lay down the roots of this country and fought against all of those who tried to destroy it.

As a kid, I used to wonder why the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in our community would get so involved in the Fourth. To me, they were a bunch of old men walking around in old uniforms. I didn’t understand why fireworks were such a big deal to them.

It took a long time for me to understand that the Fourth is more than air-writing your name with sparklers. It took until last year to develop a full appreciation for the holiday.

Last year, I was joined by several other ISU students on a study/work abroad program in England. Living in and absorbing yourself in another culture is a wonderful experience. Only by living and working there can you come to understand the people, values and the social structures.

When you work behind the bar in a neighborhood pub, the experience increases 10-fold. Luckily, another ISU student and I had this opportunity.

But it wasn’t all about the crown jewels. From our first night at work, we had to try to ignore the comments being made to us about our country.

“If it wasn’t for us, you wouldn’t even exist.”

“You Yanks aren’t anything without us.”

“You didn’t earn it, we gave it to you. We could still have it if we wanted it.”

“You are to blame for the friendly fire in the Gulf War.” (Yes, we were both personally accused of this.)

“You Yanks don’t belong here. Why don’t you go home?”

Comments like this are hard to ignore and harder to laugh off. It had always been my dream to live in England, but from the first comment, I realized that my loyalty was to home.

Even though these comments may have hurt our feelings or caused us to become completely outraged or caused us to joke, “Well if this is the English attitude, no wonder people left,” they did teach us one thing: Freedom, by our government’s standards, is one of the best feelings in the world, and America is one of the best places to be.

Last year on the Fourth of July, my friend and I didn’t see any fireworks.

We didn’t spend time with our families and friends, however, we felt as if we had gained a true appreciation for the holiday.

In our room that night, we recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the small American flag on the wall and sang “The Star Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful.”

We also sent silent prayers to the servicemen and women who have fought so hard to protect our rights.

Maybe the lesson in all of this is that you never know what you have until it’s gone.

Maybe the lesson is to shut up and appreciate what we do have instead of whining about what we don’t have. Or, maybe I’ve just fallen into a deep pit of over-glorified national pride due to the season.

Maybe the lesson is to fight for what you believe in, and when you can’t, appreciate those who step to the front of the battle lines to do so for you.

But, amidst your Fourth of July three-day weekend, take the time to thank those who have defended your rights when you couldn’t and think about what freedom means to you.

---

Heather McClure is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Harlan.