The fourth of July.

I will head out to my boat today and place my American flag in it's holder on the stern. I will be alone and enjoying the fourth of July but, not without thinking about the United States and our soldiers in Iraq, George Bush and the meaning of freedom.
I will be thinking of the pictures this week of George Bush jogging with the wounded Iraqi war veteran around the Whitehouse. I thought it was grotesque to have Bush jogging with a soldier who he sent over to Iraq who then got his legs blown off. But, no one made the soldier jog with Bush he did it on his own. That's freedom and I have to respect the soldier for doing it because he wanted too.
I will also be thinking of our soldiers in that hell hole in Iraq and hope they get home soon to enjoy the BBQ's picnics and beer that many American will enjoy this day. I also hope that the pain I get in my gut as I hear on the radio that another soldier or two or three... has died in a roadside bomb or ambush stops.
Then there are the stories like this one where I put myself in the place of Iraqi citizens who ask how is it that things are better than under Saddam. Sometimes we Americans need to look at how others see us when stories like this come out. This one we know about how many others are never reported but, yet undermine all the good we try to do.
Yes, I will be celebrating our Independence in my own special way but, I will also be thinking about how far we have to go to make this a better country while we still have the freedom to do it!