On July 4th, in 1776, a small group of men in Philadelphia took a remarkable step. They declared themselves independent of the British King, and founded a nation based upon the ideals of liberty and equality under the law. These were revolutionary concepts at the time, but what these men did changed the world. In those days, rulers drew their legitimacy from the ‘divine right of kings,’ but our founding fathers broke the bonds of monarchy and created a government that derived its legitimacy from the consent of the governed.
Over the last 236 years, our nation has faced many challenges, and will no doubt face many more. Still, on July 4th all Americans come together to celebrate the birth of the American experiment. I wish everyone a happy 4th of July, and hope it is spent safely in the company of family and friends. To our troops fighting abroad, we miss you and pray for your safety every day, and we hope you can come home soon.”
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann