May you ALL enjoy Independence Day.

Rick.

:devious: :devious:

Thanks for getting this started Rick.

God bless America.

God bless and protect our troops!

And the aussies to!

And God bless the Queen Mother!!

You can't forget her; if it wasn't for the Queen (Big Q), none of us Yanks would have rebelled against Mother England way back then (230 years ago).

Lets just make sure we all remember WHY we rebelled, and never forget those freedoms laid upon us by those who fought for something better.

Americans have had thier freedoms squeezed and contorted lately, and it goes largely unchallenged. The latest attempt was a flag burning ban...and while it pains me to see the flag burned in protest or hatred, as an American I WILL support every other American's RIGHT to burn that flag.

Thank you to our troops, from now and then, who have fought, struggled and died for our basic freedoms. Lets hope we can get some leadership that helps preserve those freedoms that countless men and women thought they needed to DIE to protect.

Happy Independence Day, America.

Be careful you don't confuse Patriotism with Nationalism, as most people do. There's a BIG difference.

Your flag-burning attitude is the same as for people who are Christians, and yet the U.S. Gubmint won't let them be one ( i.e. displaying Christian symbols like a nativity scene during Christmas). I thought we were allowed religious freedom here? So why is it wrong to show you be lieve in God, just like it says on the money? The separation of Church & State GUARANTEES everyone the opportunity to select and practive their (Christian) faith, and the gubmint has NO right to say you can't!

P.C. stands for Personal Computer, and I will defend ones's right to say "Merry Christmas" or have their nativity scene in this country.

tyvm

Hey guys and gals and all those in between!

Happy 4th of July.

I would like everyone to take a moment to think about the men an women we have serving overseas this 4th and those who have lost their lives defending what we so gallantly fought for 230 years ago.

Having spent many a Holiday overseas serving our county I know it is important to know those back home are thinking about you.

I hope you all enjoy today and have a safe and fun 4th of July!

Eric

The separation of Church & State GUARANTEES everyone the opportunity to select and practive their (Christian) faith, and the gubmint has NO right to say you can't!

tyvm

The separation of Church and State is also supposed to guarantee that those people of strong faith are not permitted to allow that faith to sway them in decisions regarding the whole of American people.

I have no problem with a leadership devoted to its religion, as I am a minister myself.

What I have a problem with is clear disregard for the requirement of a seperate church and state. A prime example is gay marriage. In reality, it will NOT hurt the economy, it will NOT hurt children because there is no mother and father (if this is true, why can we allow birth out of wedlock or divorce if children are involved) and it really has no impact on anyone BUT the people that wish to be bound together.

But we need to try to ban gay marriage. Why? Because GOD says it's wrong. That seems an awful lot like a connection between church and state.

Christianity has always been a strong backbone of American democracy, but I think it's starting to be taken too far, in the 21st Century, where people should be allowed to live as THEY choose.

If we have freedom of religion, how can we pass a law that affects more than the Christians that feel the law needs to be changed?

Sorry about the tangent. Today is not about bickering.

Lets blow some &#036;^&#33;# up! (Sorry, I <b>AM</b> seventeen, haha).

Happy Fourth!

Happy Birthday America!

Freedom of religion has slowly become freedom from religion. While I respect other people's beliefs and religious preferences, I certainly do not entertain their thoughts that theirs is THE correct religion. It pains me that Political Correctness has pretty much curtailed one of our most basic freedoms - the right to free speech.

I am here in Japan with the gubmint (Tomohawk) and find it ironic that my job is to support something that I feel is illegal - the war in Iraq.

I also relate to Virto - if marriage is so religious, why does the states regulate it? Hypocritical, if you ask me. I am sorry, but I believe in equal rights for all - and our country does not provide equal rights for all. As a former single person who paid more in taxes than a married person, where's the equality? Same - same for everybody is equal. The current structure favors certain people and penalizes the rest.

I will get off my soapbox now. America allows me to say these things and I am proud to be American.

Happy Birthday America!

Really? "America" was invented in 1507, and named after Amerigo Vespucci!

So when you talk about "Americans," which are you referring to- North or South?