America the Beautiful

Happy Fourth of July, my dear readers!

I hope you're having a lovely Independence Day. I thought for this special holiday in our country I show you some of my favorite places in the US that I have visited so far. More than words these pictures show why and how I love this country - for its beauty and wildness.

This is a very photo-heavy post, so I won't say anymore and leave you with these impressions. Enjoy.

Mount Denali, Alaska

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Arches National Park, Utah

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Boulder, Colorado

Bryce National Park, Utah

Our stunning California coast

Canyonlands National Park, the Needles District, Utah

Eastern Sierra, California

Grand Canyon North Rim, Arizona

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Maine

Mendocino, California

Mesa Verde, Colorado

Mono Lake, California

Monument Valley, Arizona

Oregon Coast

The prairie, South Dakota

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

San Francisco, California

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Sedona and the Red Rock Country, Arizona

Highway 12 from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon, Utah

Valley of Fire, Nevada

Valley of the Gods, Utah

White Sand National Monument, New Mexico

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Yosemite National Park, California

Zion National Park, Utah

What are some of your favorite places?

Celebrating Independence

Today, on the 4th of July, we celebrate our country's independence from Britain, back in 1776. We have red, white and blue parties with family and friends, we barbecue and we have colorful and loud fireworks. It's a joyful holiday, a great day of celebration.

Sadly, some Americans seem to be unaware what we are celebrating.

photo by Robert Bartz

A couple days ago I saw a video in which random people on their way to the beach were interviewed about Independence Day. Some of the "highlights":

Question: Who did we gain our independence from?

Answers:
- I don't know.
- The South.  - At the end of the Civil War? - Yes, from the South.
- Those countries.
And my personal favorite:
- From California. (oh yeah, baby)

Question: Who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Answers:
- I don't know. Abraham Lincoln? - And when was that? - 1964? - 19... - 1984! (Perhaps it was George Orwell then....)

Question: Who were the Founding Fathers of our country?

- Silence.

Where the Declaration of Independence was written. Photo by Robert Bartz

While reading this, you probably cringe just as I did when I watched that video. And of course this is not representative for all Americans. But it made me wonder why I as an immigrant have to pass the citizenship test when I wish to become a US citizen. Perhaps natural born Americans should take that test as well.

Especially politicians. No, I am not elaborating on this. You certainly have made up your mind about that and so have I.

Gaining independence is a huge step for any country. For me, the most important part of independence is freedom. Let freedom ring - but so often I feel it's the freedom for one group, but not for the other. Freedom ends where it limits the freedom of others. That is a given. Freedom involves responsibility - a lot of it. Freedom without responsibility is not freedom for all, but just freedom for "Me". Freedom is something we have to work for every single day - by giving it to others and keeping it for ourselves.

Freedom is something wonderful that we so often take for granted. It is the greatest good in our country - and many others. Truly a reason to celebrate.