Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the values on which our great nation was founded. Written in the Declaration of Independence, these words ring true for all Americans and have held fast for more than two centuries.  Ratified on July 4, 1776, the Declaration has long been held in the hearts of the American people as a source of hope and inspiration to protect the freedoms we hold so dear.

It is important to remember those values in today’s political environment. We often forget that people on the opposite side of the political spectrum are human beings and deserve our respect, whether or not we agree. We are a nation that celebrates our differences. There is a time and a place for political rhetoric, but let us not forget the price we have paid to have the freedom for such discourse.

Countless brave men and women have given their lives so we could enjoy the freedoms and rights we too often take for granted. Still people fight across the globe to bring similar freedoms and rights to the oppressed. We celebrate the brave Americans who put their lives on the line every day so we may continue to call ourselves the land of the free.

To celebrate Independence Day, Kentuckians will gather with family and friends at picnics, parties, and parades in recognition of the freedoms we cherish. America’s forefathers established a country that would become the greatest nation in the world, which is worthy of much celebration. It was their genius that established a system of government that includes checks and balances to ensure this nation is governed “of, by, and for the people.”

Independence Day celebrations generally conclude with firework displays that symbolize the words of our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

It is with great pride we sing our anthem, stand for our flag and honor the freedom it represents. I wish all Kentuckians a joyous, free, and safe Independence Day with family and friends. God Bless America.