Independence Day, July 4th… arguably, no other holiday evokes such a strong emotion of being American. July 4th is the quintessential summer holiday, especially in years like this when the Fourth abuts the actual weekend. We enjoy parades, festivals, fireworks, boating, family time, sunshine, and bonfires with s’mores. Michigan provides the perfect playground for all things Fourth of July!

It’s easy to get caught up in the trappings of another holiday weekend, and forget the very thing our American holiday celebrates – Independence! We know, of course, that July 4th celebrates the day we declared our independence from Britain. We should not forget the courage demonstrated by the men who declared our independence by signing that famous Declaration. After all, these signers had no guarantee that independence would prevail. Failure constituted high treason against the Crown, and would likely have resulted in a death penalty; furthermore, colonists still needed to win a War of Independence, and several who signed (John Adams for instance) put his family in the direct line of the marching British army.

Last week, British citizens voted to exit the European Union (the so-called “Brexit” vote.) While the implications of this action will take years to sort out, and I am certainly NOT taking a position here as to whether I agree or disagree with the action, I can’t help but see certain commonalities with our July 4th. One year prior to each decision, most citizens (or colonists) opposed independence. After each action, experts and pundits predicted the citizens would regret the action, and questioned how those in favor of independence could leave the financial security offered by the status quo. Also, lifting each action was a tremor, an undercurrent, of public frustration with a loss of liberty.

I wish you safe travels this weekend, and I hope you enjoy your time in the sun with your families. I also ask that you reflect on the courage of our founders to publicly declare our independence, and the privileges we have in our country that through this famous Declaration stated certain truths to be self-evident, that we are created equal, that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.