It's time to bring independence back to independence day“Jefferson and Washington fought a war over the principle of independence, that is, the moral right of a individual to live their life as they see fit." - Michael S. BerlinerEvery July 4th, American cities and towns are filled with parades and fireworks, celebrating the Fourth of July, America's birthday. But hopefully, come Independence Day next, the speeches will contain less bromides and more attention to what exactly is being celebrated. The Fourth of July is Independence Day, but American leaders and intellectuals have sought to distance us further and further from the meaning of Independence Day, from the philosophy that created this country. What we hear from politicians, intellectuals and the media is that independence is outdated, that we have reached a new era of "interdependence". We hear calls for compulsory "volunteering" to serve others, for sacrifice for the nation. We hear calls from those who destroy trust that successful companies be punished because they are "greedy" and do not serve society. But this is not America's message. It's the exact opposite of why America has become a beacon of hope for the truly oppressed around the world. They came here to escape poverty and dictatorship; they came here to live their own lives, where they are not owned by the state, community or tribe. “Independence Day” is a title of fundamental importance. It signifies the fundamental meaning of this nation, not just the holiday. The American Revolution remains unique in human history: a revolution – and a nation – founded on a moral principle, the principle of individual rights. Jefferson in Philadelphia and Washington in Valley F... at the center of the newspaper... Revolution and the American spirit. For the Founding Fathers, there was no higher authority than the individual mind, not King George, not God, not society. Reason, wrote Ethan Allen, is "man's only oracle", and Thomas Jefferson advised us to "fix reason firmly in its place and call every fact, every opinion to its tribunal. Boldly question even existence of a God." This is the meaning of independence: trust in one's own judgment, in reason; do not sacrifice your mind to the state, the church, the race, the nation, or your neighbors. Independence is the foundation of America. Independence is what should be celebrated on Independence Day. This is the legacy our Founding Fathers left us. It is a legacy we should preserve, not because it is a legacy, but because it is right and just. He made America the freest and most prosperous country in history.