The Fourth of July, I always have a lot of mixed emotions on that holiday.

I mean, it is a great American holiday, but, you know, it fills me with joy and sadness

at the same time because I really like commemorating what America was and the whole idea of what

independent stood for and what made America different.

Because being an American was really different than being a German or being French or being Italian.

I mean, not that there's anything wrong with living in any of those countries.

And I, you know, I don't blame people for being patriotic about those countries.

But being an American was very different because all these other countries throughout the world,

you know, they all basically, they were ruled by kings and they gradually were able to

get some of their rights, right, from the crown.

The crown surrendered some rights to the subjects.

And so everything basically flowed from the top up.

But America was a different story.

I mean, once we declared our independence, and you know, interestingly enough,

I just read a survey that said only, I think only 75% of the adults who were surveyed new

from which country America won its independence.

And I think even a smaller percentage, I think 70% or one third rather didn't know what year

America won that independence from. You know, I wonder if the people who didn't know the year

that America won its independence from Great Britain.

I wonder if they also could name the basketball team from Philadelphia or if they even could make

the connection. But let me just get back on topic. So when we declared in one independence in

1776 or declared it in one of eventually, America, we basically created our government.

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