I agree with everyone, I express my freedom everyday with the choices I am allowed to make.  Yes my choices are limited to what I can or can’t afford but at least I have choices…If I dont like childcare for my daughter, I can change it.  If I dont like where I work, I can change it. 

Independence Day for me changed in the year 2003 when my now husband was servicing in Iraq and when he called me on 4th of July I asked "did you see any fireworks" and boy did I get an answer.  He saw some fireworks but they were Red, White, and Blue.  They were on a convoy mission and came under attack and they had to call for aerial back up so Blackhawk Helicopters showed up and in his words "lit up the sky", he said those were the best fireworks he has ever seen. 

That was the day I think my whole world changed, to know how close our Military Men & Women come to death everyday fighting not only for our Freedom but Freedom for so many others, it just takes my breath away. Then on top of that we have men and women who put their lives on the line for us here in the US everyday, our Law Enforcement and Firefighters, Doctors, Nurses and sometimes just everyday people. 

Thank you!!!! 

Sweet freedom!  I feel so blessed to be able to express my opinion on any subject!  I too, must mention and honor the women and men of our military.  I do not agree with the war but I respect the dedication to duty and the sacrifice of the families of those who serve.  Each and every one of them is a tribute to our freedom.  Happy 4th and may there some day be peace for all.

I take advantage of my freedom every single day. I was just thinking about how not only am I outspoken in general but i have the freedom as a woman to be outspoken in my marriage and not worry that i’ll be stoned… or have accid thrown in my face. or at the very least cast out and not allowed any of our assets. It gives me the freedom to be me.

We have so many freedoms that we take so for granted. I can turn on my tap and have water come out. I can get on my motorcycle and ride wherever I want whenever I want and not face military stops or fear for my life from some random roadside bomb. I can wear a bikini walking around my front yard and not fear that the military will abduct me or try me and jail me or worse.

Oh yes…. i take advantage of my freedom on a daily basis. And what’s more… i recognize that fact and appreciate it.

We have so many freedoms in our country.  If you think about it, we are able to express our thoughts on this website without any retribution.  If we were in Iran, this website would probably be shut down and they would find out who you are and throw you in prison.  Maybe even worse.

I think about how women and people of color have fought for the right to vote.   Not that long ago, some men didn’t think women had the mental capacity to vote.  Blacks were given outrageous literacy tests to keep them from voting or they were being killed for having the audacity to register to vote.

I could go on and on about so many freedoms that we have in this country.  We live in a great country!

When you’re opinionated as I am, you find you’re thankful for your freedoms every single day. 

I’m married to a military man (previously active duty - currently Reserves) and though I don’t always agree with decisions made by our government, I always have the greatest respect for those who choose to serve and their families.  Though it is often taken for granted, freedom is not free, by any sense of the word. 

Related… Someone sent this video to me yesterday - it is the funeral procession in Georgia for Staff Sergeant First Class John C. Beale - and though it is long (about 11 or 12 minutes long), I sat through all of it and cried nearly all the way through.  If only all soldiers received this kind of respect.   Video: http://blip.tv/play/AYGJ5h6YgmE

What an odd question.  We are a comparitively free people in this country, and we don’t have to "take advantage" of our freedom.  We do it every day by having access to this site as well as countless others.  We are not restricted with what we read or how we think.  We can go out and read 100 newspapers and think tanks from all over the world.  We can be totally selfish and think of only ourselve, or even though there is not compulsory draft or public service for our young people, we can encourage them to make sacrifices to this country anyway.  We can study or be school drop-outs.  We can be free thinkers or bound to a church or synagogue to tell us what to think. 

I think it would have been a better discussion if you had posed the question like this:  How often do you show Gratitude of Living In A Free Country by giving to others, and do you honor your Responsibilty to this government by Voting and Participating in it the way our Founding Fathers intended?