What Does Independence Day Mean to You?

We asked our staff here at TJM what the Fourth of July meant to them. Here are some of their thoughts:

Matt Fischer

Freedom, fireworks, and friends. Also hot dogs, beer, pool parties, bald eagles, laser light shows and fog machines, all to the sounds of some Bruce Springsteen.

Vito Giammanco

Ours is not to reason why; ours is but to do and die.

Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Justin MacDonald

Whenever I think of celebrating Independence Day, my mind always goes to the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution. I have always found it interesting that instead of saying “in order to form a perfect union” the words chosen were “in order to form a MORE perfect union.”

Every Fourth of July, I am not only celebrating the independence of our nation, but the implied notion of the Preamble that, despite my personal belief that we have the best country in the world, we are consistently working and progressing to try to form a more perfect union.

Courtney Cole

FIREWORKS!!!! But, it is also my father-in-law’s birthday, so we celebrate him and blow stuff up. Its always a good time.

Rick Cundiff

I grew up in a small town. I can remember watching the fireworks over downtown from my Aunt Hazel’s porch. It’s the same house where my maternal grandmother and her siblings grew up. I can imagine the nine of them watching fireworks from that same porch.

The displays over my little town, while not elaborate, were everything a child could ask for. Years later as an adult, I had multiple opportunities to stand on the National Mall and watch the fireworks over the Washington Monument. It was spectacular every time. And every time, I was transported back to being that little boy standing on the porch, filled with wonder.

Matt Maio

As our nation’s birthday there’s no better way to celebrate than by reenacting my favorite part of our National Anthem. Bombs bursting in air! I already have an almost full duffel bag of patriotism ready to go, and when that majestic white tent is raised I will make the pilgrimage to acquire more freedom than my wife (and my bank account) would like me to. Because its my duty as an American!