Independence Day has never meant so much to me as it did this year. In my many trips to Mexico I didn't feel this feeling of 'it just doesn't seem fair' like I do now. Maybe its the difference in being an adult and seeing things through different eyes, maybe its becasue I feel like the Mexicans I've worked with may not have all the luxeries I have but they have somethings I'll never understand and have like deep very close knit families and awesome customs and traditions and food.
I feel diferntly about Russians. They are so close to having a democratic society but yet they still fear the corrupt police that walk about the city in groups of 3. I don't know why 3. American police usually come in pairs. Russians do not have the.. assurances that we do like insurance (health, life, unemployment, disability) They just don't have the little things that we take so for granted that are largely becasue of our goverment both federally, state and local. Yet they are so close. By that I mean who am I that I got to be born in the US and be an American citizen when people just as deserving of the things I enjoy don't have it becasue they were born in Russia.
I am the last person to agree with a lot of the desesions are politicians make and yes there is a bit crookedness in most goverment organizations but ya'll its nothing to compare to. I useto loath my 15 to 20 minuet drive into Abilene but now I see things differntly when I understand that most of my friends travel an hour plus everyday both ways to go to work in a crowded Metro train car. Some have to walk part of the way, train part of the way and subway part of the way. Now, some Americans make this choice to live in big cities but Russian economy is different and in many cases to support your family or to get an education you have to live in Moscow. This is why the poulation of Moscow is somewhere around 25 million and the birth rate is lower than the death rate. Puts it all in perspective and makes me irritated at myself and my fellow Americans that we just don't know how good we have it.
The words of Lee Greenwood has never meant so much to me as I sat with my family in my brand new truck on the 4th of July and ate icecream and apple pie and watched fireworks.

If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘ Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.