Happy 4th of July! I offer these thoughts for your consideration.

On a cool Massachusetts morning, April 19, 1775, a group of farmers, tradesmen, and other “Minutemen” led by Captain John Parker, gathered on Lexington Commons to…express umbrage at the British Crown’s attempt to illegally confiscate Colonial Weapons. “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war let it begin here,” declared Parker.

No one knows who fired the first shot, but at the end of the battle, eight Americans lay dead and as many wounded. This came to be known as the “shot heard ‘round the World” and the de facto beginning of the American Revolution.

A little over a year later on July 4th, 1776, the British Crown, along with the rest of the World, heard the American Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. 5 years after that and at the cost of almost 7,000 Americans killed and a little over 6,000 wounded, the British surrendered at Yorktown.

The Fourth of July, our Independence Day, is a great celebration involving parades, sports, picnics and all the other activities involved in a Federal holiday. As we partake in those, I’d humbly ask that we each take a moment to pray for the souls of those Americans who have died since that fateful day on Lexington Commons, those who have been irreparably wounded in body and spirit defending the great, big thing we call, These United States of America. Most of all, please pray for those young folks, many of whom may not legally purchase a beer, who voluntarily sally forth each and every day to man the ramparts, so that the rest of us may enjoy this day of celebration.

May God Bless these United States of America.

Regards to All,

Mike

Mike Ford, a retired Infantry Officer, writes on Military, Foreign Affairs and occasionally dabbles in Political and Economic matters.

Follow him on Twitter: @MikeFor10394583

You can find his other Red State work here.