Independence Day 2026

Thousands of July 4ths have appeared on calendars. The "4th of July" is a global occurrence. In the United States of America, we celebrate Independence Day, which happens to fall on the 4th of July.

We celebrate the combination of 56 men who risked their lives, fortunes and honor to place their names on a document with words crafted by Thomas Jefferson and lightly edited by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Roger Livingston. These words did not describe themselves, but an ideal of what a government should be. We have spent 250 years working towards those ideals.

Even the document itself represents death and rebirth. The "paper" required sacrifice. Vellum is a prepared animal skin or membrane, used as a durable writing material. While many will use the term parchment to describe the material of the Declaration Vellum is distinguished from wood based parchment. It is not clear what animal was sacrificed, but it was likely a sheep or goat. The ink is a result of the creation of life. It begins with a natural process between wasp eggs and oak trees. The paper is death, but the words bring life and a nation was born from it.

At County Watch we report to be government watchdogs and can be critical of government. Imagine 250 years ago, with representative government denied or abolished by the king and your local government appointed by the same. There was no freedom to debate government officials. Criticism of government was punished by imprisonment, death or both. Today we have fervent disagreements with government and even each other over the proper roles and policies of governments in the USA. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but we need to remember and appreciate that your right to responsibly engage in this debate is precious, rare and protected. 250 years ago the colonies were reborn into a nation and that nation became an example of liberty to the world.

Abraham Lincoln reminded us of our responsibility to preserve our forefather's dream in the closing of his Gettysburg Address. "It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us ... that this nation, under God, 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."

In honor of Independence Day we will not have a County Watch meeting in July, We plan to continue working towards a "more perfect union" August 1st.