“My father described this tall lady who stands in the middle of the New York harbor, holding high a torch to welcome people seeking freedom in America. I instantly fell in love.” -Yakov Smirnoff

For this Independence Day, I am featuring images from places we’ve visited in the United States along with quotations referencing our nation on its anniversary.

“Where liberty dwells, there is my country.” The quote in the post title is widely attributed to Ben Franklin in a letter to Benjamin Vaughan, on March 14, 1783. There is some controversy about the quote’s attribution, but certainly not in its meaning.

“Independence Day: freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. – Abraham Lincoln

“If we mean to support the liberty and independence which have cost us so much blood and treasure to establish, we must drive far away the demon of party spirit and local reproach.” – George Washington

“The government of the Union, then, … is, emphatically, and truly, a government of the people. In form and in substance it emanates from them. Its powers are granted by them and are to be exercised directly on them, and for their benefit.” – John Marshall

“Without freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.” – Benjamin Franklin

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” – Erma Bombeck

“When you’re born, you get a ticket to the freak show. When you’re born in America, you get a front-row seat.” – George Carlin

On this Independence Day, I wish all of my U.S. followers a safe and happy Independence Day. The challenges are many and the white noise of social media clouds the issues we face. Our nation has faced many serious challenges since its inception almost two and a half centuries ago. I have every hope that the grand experiment in democracy will continue.

John Steiner