Watch your language!

With the celebration of my Nation's birthday, I am posting this to ask all who read it to watch their language. My Nation's birthday has a name. It is called Independence Day. Independence has real meaning. That is the birth of this Nation. Please do not say: "The Fourth of July." It takes away from the meaning of my favorite holiday and this most important celebration. If someone wants to know the date of Independence Day, tell them that Independence Day is on July 4.

We tend to think that each of our own individual voices is small and diluted. Many don't even bother voting. That is a big mistake. We really do make a difference in how we vote and even what we say. You might think you have very little control and influence. Take control. Only you chose the words that you use. Choose not to adopt the new language that reflects a disavowment of our heritage. Choose to say Independence Day and not "The Fourth of July." Spread this around with your words and reasons. Copy this and post it everywhere and send it to your friends.

Other examples of insidious changes in our language that reflects turning away from our heritage can be found. What do we call those in public office? Choose your words carefully. We often use the words that we hear. Words have changed. I remember when those in public office called themselves "public servants." Now they are calling themselves "the authorities." What does this mean! They work for us. We elect them. We can vote them out. We can replace them. We are self-governing people. They work for us. Let's choose to call them public servants. Let's vote out any elitist that would dictate to us and call themselves authorities. Let's tell the news media that they need to use correct language, too.

What do you call land in our Nation that is not privately held? Is it the news media that gets us to use words that deceive us on the real ownership? Now, almost everyone uses these incorrect words. It is NOT "government land!" Our Nation's Constitution specifically prohibits our government from owning land with some very limited and small exceptions. I remember the time when it was called "public land" and that is what I choose to call it. What will it be called next with the way OUR Nation is going? The King's land?

Listen closely for more words that reflect change away from our heritage of Independence and the Divinely inspired self-government with systems of checks and balances that our Founding Fathers and revolutionaries gave us by risking everything they knew and fighting and dying for us. Throughout our history, many have fought and died to preserve our freedoms and heritage. The least we can do is protect our heritage by the words we choose. Each of us can easily do that. Even if you are one of those who believe that your one vote won't make a difference and it is not worth your time, you can at least do this. It won't take any more of your time. Our Founding Fathers warned us to be ever vigilant. This means awareness. This means we must look for threats to our freedoms. This means that we must maintain control of our government that works for us. For now, it is still government of the people. Use your vote wisely while you still have a choice. Choose your words carefully to reflect our heritage.

Now that you have read this, you can be more aware of dangerous changes in our thinking. That is where excessive government power begins. Now that you are thinking this way, improper words will stand out to you. It will be like getting a car that is not familiar. Suddenly you start noticing them on the road. Now you will notice how predominately people will say "Fourth of July" and you should say: "No it's Independence Day."

If people wanted to lessen the importance of Christmas in this manner, they would call it The Twenty-Fifth of December. I wouldn't dare! People would rightly be as offended at that insult as I am to the detracting from our heritage. They would tell us that Christmas is about shopping, decorating a tree and presents. Oh, I guess they do that! I guess people think their "Fourth of July" is a celebration of fireworks. Stand up for your Nation and tell people to take our language back! Let's use this holiday as it should be used. Let's celebrate our Nation's heritage and work to preserve it before we have to fight for freedom again. We can simply vote for freedom now. That is so much easier than waiting till after learning a harsh lesson to convince us, as history tends to repeat itself.

Spread this around with your words and reasons. Copy this and post it everywhere and send it to your friends. Copy permission granted to all. Ronald H Levine

-- Jerry Miles (neljer@txcyber.com), July 04, 2001

Answers

"What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Personally, I find it wonderful that the date has become the name of the day, that it made such a powerful impression on people that the moment of declaration of independence is remembered. You want another one of those wussie "vacation" days that they move to the "weekend" so all the government and white collar workers can have three days off? Huh! Forget it! It's the Fourth of July for me! Happy Birthday, America!

Jennifer L.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@imcnet.net), July 04, 2001.

Hi Jerry,

My apologies to you, and any others who may have found my "Happy Fourth of July" comment under the "Happy Birthday Canada" thread distasteful or disrespectful. Please cut me some slack, I'm not American, and I don't live in the US. I thought about typing "Happy Independence Day", but that made me think of Will Smith zapping Hollywood aliens...not something I connect with your nation's birthday.

Here in Canada, we've gone from calling our "birthday" Dominion Day to Canada Day, and some people just call it July 1st. As we've never had to fight England to have our own country, we tend to celebrate what we *are* today, not what we've had to *do* in the past. Again, my apologies.

A very happy Independence Day to you all!!!!!

-- Rheba (rhebabeall@hotmail.com), July 04, 2001.

Good Post Jerry! And a big hug for you Rheba. I am one of the few (it seems)who can still remember the agony of wars for freedom.

Most viewers forget the fact that everything they do and or read here is open to opinnions of the Whole World. As such they can make their own mind up to agree or ....

A very happy Independence Day to you all!!!!!

-- JR (jr3star@earthlink.net), July 04, 2001.

Jerry, Thank you for the reminder of what our country should mean to us. I am one of those who have been saying "Happy 4th", but your message has been a gentle (or not so gentle) reminder that it is, in fact, our Independence Day. Sorta like saying "Merry X-mas", huh. I've not paid much attention to the other phases you mentioned such as "the authorities" instead of "public servants" and "government land" instead of "public land". The one phase that always gets my hackles up is "the powers that be" for government officials. I'll be more mindful of my choice of words. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Happy Independence Day to all Americans.

-- Trevilians (Trevilians@mediaone.net), July 04, 2001.

Jerry,

I agree! My husband, who is English, swears this is England's Independence Day! We wouldn't call it anything else. Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), July 04, 2001.

"...Independence Day...."

"...many have fought and died to preserve our freedoms and heritage...."

" ...celebrate our Nation's heritage..."

What if you are of American Indian heritage like myself....what do you call it then?

"..Choose your words carefully to reflect our heritage...."

..sorry ..I don't use that kind of language any more.

-- Jason (AJAMA5@netscape.net), July 05, 2001.

Jason, I understand where you are coming from. There are skeletons hanging in the US's closet, that arent talked about much. I guess people are opening those closet doors more now than ever before, though. The Native Americans were treated horrifically, as well as the blacks and Japanese.

We whites like to think of our country as being created by divine appointment, and annointed for a divine task. We like to think that America is RIGHT and anyone who may not agree with her is WRONG.

But that is really very stupid. As General George Washington said, "God rules in the affairs of men." But that doesnt mean that if God uses one people to accomplish something, then that people can do no wrong in His sight. I am sure God was deeply greived that America treated your ancestors so wrongly. Perhaps we even made Him angry, and we were actually "storing up wrath against the day of wrath." I pray if it is so, that God would have mercy on me in that day.

However, I also feel that the movement which is exposing the wrongs of America's past, also is acting stupidly when they turn against the country that wronged them. Remember, it's the Constitution, framed by those slave-owners, and by those white men who slaughtered your ancestors, that protects YOUR freedom to speak freely about the wrongs that were committed by THEM against your people! If those men had not had the minimum of vision they did have for the rights of men under God, then you wouldnt be allowed to speak out on behalf of your people.

Freedom is a concept. Those white men of the 1600's who framed the Declaration of Independance had a limited grasp of that concept. However, I fear that this country at present, while thinking they have a better grasp of the "freedom concept" than their forefathers, may perhaps be just as blind. While they expose the virulent racism of the past, in blaming and attempting to right the wrongs done, they stand by in blindness as our country loses more and more of her freedoms. They never even seem to see what is going on, as our freedoms are taken away inch by inch in the move to a One-World Socialist Government.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), July 05, 2001.

On behalf of Independence Day,have you noticed all the people,newscasts,movies,newspapers, etc., that talk about Independence Day as a day to honor people from wars,i.e. like Veterans day or memorial Day? Indepence Day is the day the Declaration of Indepence was officially signed by the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Not a day for remembering war veterans.( They should be honored every day),but this is not especially for them !!! Independence from England ! Freedom from opression of the King ! The Bill of Rights ! "WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS" Honor it for what it is,not for fireworks manufacturers,not for barbecue sales,not for beer commercials,not for war memorials ! And with that,I will now climb down off my soap box for a while...

-- Don (twosloans@texoma.net), July 05, 2001.

Thanks Jerry,

Nice sentiments. But I don't need the "thought police" correcting my feelings toward my country. Once upon a time I used to wish my co- workers "Have a Happy 4th". Now you're telling me it's politically incorrect.

So, in the face of "correct speak", let me simply say...

"Hope every one had a Happy 4th!"

(Shhh. If you understand my sentiments, e-mail me privately. The PCers are watching)

(:raig

-- Craig Miller (cmiller@ssd.com), July 05, 2001.

Listened to a similarly-themed radio call-in show - Dh is a big fan of AM talk radio. Oh well, you can't have everything you want in a man ;) - on our way home from a (rained-out) fireworks show. The Host suggested that the day now be called In Dependence day, stating that most Americans today are not terribly interested in independence from the government if it compromises their security. Although I don't agree with everything he said, he did make a telling point about the fact that first-generation Americans, who grew up without our freedoms, certainly appreciate what they have received by becoming Americans, and it was his opinion that our government-run schools teach our children the joys of a government-run citizenry the way that Catholic schools try to instill Catholicism and Baptist schools instill Protestantism. He pointed out as his proof that second- generation Americans, having been (usually) educated in public (not government?) schools have the same entitled, whiny, gimme attitude that born and bred American teens are launched into the "real world" with. Interesting take, athough I think that our national babysitter (TV) has at least as much to do with it as public schools.

All in all, I'd rather celebrate Independence Day that the 4th of July, and we will be going back tonight for that fireworks show (I'm a sucker for fireworks!) secure in the knowledge that our right to gather freely in large, potentially subversive groups to view politically-charged entertainment is fully protected by the constitution and a great deal of fun to boot!

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), July 05, 2001.