Why Do [or Don't] You Celebrate 4th of July?

4th of July is USA’s Independence Day, when America called and considered itself a free nation. It probably can’t get much simpler than that in terms of the definition. Celebrating Independence Day is now a tradition where people in America [or other countries for their Independence Day] get together for parties, food barbecue or for fireworks to mark the anniversary of becoming a separate country. For millions of people, it is as important or sometimes even more important than any religious event.

Today, millions of people in America will either be setting off fireworks themselves or watching others do it. It’s a trend that many call “a family tradition.” This trend is so popular that many people define their “patriotism” by it. For such people, you’re not an American if you don’t celebrate Independence Day. At the same time, there is a growing number of people who do not celebrate Independence Day. They have their own reasons, also listed below.

To get a solid idea of why you celebrate or don’t celebrate Independence Day, let’s go through 5 reasons why others do and don’t celebrate it.

5 Famous Reasons We Celebrate 4th of July

Following are some reasons why many people celebrate the 4th of July, and the mentality behind such reasons.

Do you celebrate Independence Day? Why or Why Not?

1. America is the most realistic and true Land of the Free on this planet for people of all skin. Sure, racism is here, but it’s less than anywhere else in the world. Even in cities and towns with full-fledged racism and discrimination, people are legally allowed to do things they wish as long as it does not physically hurt others. Many people feel they should celebrate that.
2. America gives us rights. There are more rights and laws protecting different segments of the society than anywhere else in the world. Even illegal immigrants and convicted murderers have legal rights here. No where else on Earth do you have more rights for different minorities and even illegal immigration, sometimes more than legal residents or citizens, than in America. Again, many people feel that is worth celebrating.
3. America is the land of opportunities and land of success. No other country offers more opportunities to people who are willing to try harder and harder and go through all the red tape. Sure, the red tape is there, but you can still get by it with legal means available to everyone.
4. Celebrating 4th of July celebrates our ancestors. 99.99% of America is not directly blood related to the people who wrote and voted on the Declaration of Independence. However, for millions of Americans, not celebrating 4th of July would mean an insult to the “founding fathers.”
5. America offers happiness and safety. No matter who you are, you can find a place in America where you will enjoy safety and happiness. America is like Disneyland for many: anywhere else would be less happy. The happiest place on earth for them is America.

6 Popular Reasons We Don’t Celebrate 4th of July

Contrary to popular belief, the number of people not celebrating Independence Day is on the rise. Look around you. At least one of your friends or co-workers, who celebrated Independence Day before, will not be celebrating 4th of July this year. You and they’re not <a href="alone; an increasing number of Americans are deciding not to celebrate Independence Day. All of their reasons vary, though. Following are some of the more popular reasons:

1. Celebrating Independence Day glorifies war and military conquest for some people. Since almost all wars that America has fought have been against less civilized or technologically advanced countries, many people believe that celebrating Independence Day only promotes conquering other nations.
2. 4th of July promotes the modern concept of a state that relies on capitalism and corruption. Many people associate 4th of July with the increase in corruption within America. Many of such people also oppose celebrating Independence Day because they believe there is nothing good worth celebrating.
3. Promotes the genocide of the “real” Americans, called the “Native Americans.” This is the most basic and powerful fundamental reason that millions of people think daily. America itself claimed independence from the then British Empire, while taking independence away from the Americans, whom we now call “Native Americans”, who lived in America because Columbus landed here.
4. For many people, celebrating 4th of July does nothing to help end racism. The melting pot and promotion of personal cultures has done almost nothing to stop the growing tension and divide between different racial lines. For many people, racism is a daily fact and thus they do not want to celebrate it.
5. Many consider it a brainwashing patriotic or religious gesture. Many people believe in democracy more than patriotism and thus, for them celebrating a flag or a country more than the people who formed it is meaningless. Same is the case with the religious side: many people think such an occasion promotes Christianity, and thus such people do not get involved in it.
6. Many have lost interest in celebrating America. This is something you can see daily. People focus on ways to make money, pay off their debt, buy that new car, find new friends, eliminate online headaches and more. There is so much focus on other things in life that for many people celebrating 4th of July is like praying: many simply don’t care anymore about the topic.

Why do you, or don’t, celebrate the 4th of July?

What do you think of the 4th of July? Do you celebrate it for one of the reasons above, or do you have some other reasons? Do you not celebrate 4th of July for any of the reasons above, or do you have your own reasons for that?

Share your thoughts, questions or any views in the comments below. Thanks!