Independence Day

I am struggling today (the 4th of July) to appreciate the significance of the day. It has long been my least favorite holiday, as it has come to symbolize not just another intoxicated holiday, but one including drunks and gunpowder. I am also perplexed sometimes by the almost religious fervor my non-religious friends hold for the founding fathers and the constitution. The same folks who sometimes... hold my beliefs in disdain, yet swap an oligarchy for a prophet, allow for a wee bit more flexibility (i.e., amendments and occasional curious supreme court rulings) but not much, and weave their own brand of Sacred notions on a very partisan but curiously incestuous political loom. When I do get to the day though, I arrive at the same place I do when I pray, when I meet a Christian I trust, or any other human who carries themselves with the dignity of a man or woman with a belief system behind them that guides them on an ethical and humane path. People that acquiesce their own wants and needs at times for something not personally constructed. That, in analysis, is what I am reminded of on this day, not a group of men, a paper, wars, or even the sacrifices made in those wars (another level of appreciation, another day). I am reminded that I live in a country that was founded on a set of ideals, and as an American, those ideals should be evident in my thoughts and actions - and others should be able to count on them. As a Muslim, I appreciate this consistency and submission. It is a day I celebrate living in a society where I continue to be guided by those ideals, and most importantly, acknowledge and respect others for the disciplined and sanctified beliefs that direct their lives. This is what is Sacred to me.