And the one thing the Fourth truly stands for is the right of the individual, from any walk of life and any occupation, to have a hand in the decisions of government. We don't need to whisper our thoughts.  We can speak them aloud and without fear from reprisal other than from Uncle Jack or Aunt Lulu announcing they disagree.

With the American Revolution, we deliberately established a society where to be a citizen means a person has a voice in the government. This is a gift often not valued until it is taken away.

Our consensus hasn't been perfect or easy.  We continually fight our own prejudices.  Just as the way we celebrate the Fourth progresses, so, too, does our sense of justice. Throughout our history, we have struggled to find the delicate balance between individual desire, community needs, and the rule of law.  

Given human nature, it is a wonder we have been successful at all.