July 4, Independence Day! Ronald Reagan, a great American patriot, could voice the principles of freedom: He said, “Individual liberty depends on keeping government under control.” We the people have failed to do this. Reagan said, “We don’t celebrate dependence (on the government) day on the Fourth of July. We celebrate Independence Day.” He said what I also believe which is that modern Americans have failed to heed the founders of our republic: “I have always believed that America is strongest and freest and happiest when it is truest to the wisdom of its founders.”
Guarding our freedom through education…
Failure in education of new generations leads to the loss of freedom, which is occurring today. In a one room school led by a lone teacher held in a little Baptist church in Germany Valley, Rabun County, Georgia, I learned in the first five grades knowledge about our beginnings and the long, terrible struggle that led to the colonists defeating England, the greatest power on earth at the time. In addition, although a mother of five children and wife of a farmer, Durell Dickerson Justus, who loved reading inspired me to learn to read before I entered the first grade.
through service…
From the first I was hungry for knowledge of who I was and the people from whom I came. I also loved history and learned of ancient times but especially loved American history. Then came World War II and the great outpouring of patriotism and sacrifice of millions of Americans, who laboring at home on farms and in factories, supplied great navies and armies and supplied our allies in conquering the enemies of freedom on land and sea.
Americans were united and committed to both victory against enemies of freedom and to achieving a better life. I was led to serve my country and freedom for over 20 years, and at age 20 served in the Korean War and later in Vietnam.
through sacrifice.
Independence Day reminds us of the history of achieving freedom and the price in blood and sacrifice of gaining and keeping freedom for future generations.
As I drive alone on a back road, which I often do, I look at passing farms, bales of hay lying in a field, horses and cows grazing in pastures, rickety old barns and abandoned homes, I like to pause on a rise where the blue hazed mountains rise toward the north and promise myself soon I must ride north into North Carolina and Tennessee, from whence came my ancestors on their migrations down the Appalachian Mountains. From them I inherited the yearning of freedom and the loyalty to the principles of the Constitution and laws our inspired founders passed on to us.
America the Beautiful, how true!
