Opinion: Liberty missing from July 4 holiday

I miss Independence Day.

Independence Day was once a celebration of liberty; a tribute to revolution, insurrection, and secession. It has mutated into a day to worship government and its employees. It has become a parody of itself.

Maybe this is why it is more commonly known today as “the Fourth of July.” This downplays its anti-government roots and dismisses independence.

Of course, most of this happened before I was born, so what I miss is the idea of an Independence Day I’ve never really known, at least not in mainstream society. One I celebrate by myself if no one else joins me.

For a watered-down Fourth of July we are distracted with fireworks displays presented by government, and often told we aren’t allowed to independently shoot off fireworks.

We are encouraged to celebrate government employees rather than the people who declared independence by violently defying government and its employees.

Where is liberty in this holiday? It’s missing.

No one even notices liberty isn’t welcome at the celebration. Perhaps this is because people neither understand nor want liberty.

Why wouldn’t people want liberty?

I suspect it’s because they are satisfied with freedom. It may also be because responsibility is half of liberty and they aren’t interested in that part.

Freedom means doing what you want. If what you want to do fits within what government allows, you are free enough -- you may even incorrectly imagine you are enjoying liberty.

Liberty is the freedom to do everything you have a right to do, regardless of government’s opinions on the matter. Liberty is freedom tempered with responsibility -- you only have the responsibility to not violate other people’s rights.

Government wants your freedom limited by its rules, instead. This isn’t liberty, but is more like being a pet; dependent on the kindness and tolerance of your master. Living only at his whim.

Are most people so attached to government that they aren’t interested in liberty? It seems so. Liberty and political government are completely incompatible.

Government can allow a certain amount of freedom to exist, but liberty is an all-or-nothing deal. Liberty can’t be restrained by government rules without being destroyed. There is no liberty when government is allowed to exist. Most people apparently love Big Brother and his false promise of safety more than liberty.

Not me. I have no use for Big Brother. I love liberty and I miss Independence Day.

Farwell’s Kent McManigal champions liberty. Contact him at:

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