Every year, Americans celebrate their independence from Great Britain on the Fourth of July.
Sure, it’s fun to gather with family and friends to barbeque and knock
back a few beers. But there’s also a great deal of history behind
America’s independence.
In honor of America's Independence Day, here are some inspirational quotes about freedom for the Fourth of July 2015:
Patrick Henry"Give me liberty or give me death!"
–
John Adams I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure it will cost us
to maintain this declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet
through all the gloom I see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can
see that the end is worth all the means. This is our day of
deliverance."
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1941"It is, indeed, a fallacy, base on no logic at all, for any
American to suggest that the rule of force can defeat human freedom in
all the other parts of the world and permit it to survive in the United
States alone. But it has been that childlike fantasy itself that
misdirected faith which has led nation after nation to go about their
peaceful tasks, relying on the thought, and even the promise, that they
and their lives and their government would be allowed to live when the
juggernaut of force came their way."
Thomas Jefferson "Equal and exact justice to all men...freedom of religion, freedom of
the press, freedom of person under the protection of the Haber corpus;
and trial by juries impartially selected, these principles form the
bright constellation, which has gone before us."
Harry S. Truman "America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on
imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand."
George Washington "Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth."
Thomas Jefferson "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness."
Abraham Lincoln "My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth."
Benjamin Franklin: “Where liberty dwells, there is my country.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson: “For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail?”
John Hancock: “There, I guess King George will be able to read that.”
Albert Einstein: “Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.”
Martin Luther King Jr.: “In the process of
gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let
us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup
of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the
high plane of dignity and discipline.”
Thomas Jefferson: “Our greatest happiness does
not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but
is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation and
freedom in all just pursuits.”
Lyndon B. Johnson: “This, then, is the state of
the union: free and restless, growing and full of hope. So it was in the
beginning. So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are
strong enough to keep the faith.”
Mahatma Gandhi: “Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?”
Dwight D. Eisenhower: “Only our individual faith in freedom can keep us free.”
Abraham Lincoln: “Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
Robert Frost: “You have freedom when you’re easy in your harness.”
Thomas Paine: “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”
Harry Emerson Fosdick: “Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt: “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt: “The winds that blow
through the wide sky in these mounts, the winds that sweep from Canada
to Mexico, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, have always blown on free
men.”
Simone de Beauvoir: “I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom.”
James G. Blaine: “The United States is the only country with a known birthday.”
John Dickinson: “Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.”
William Faulkner: “We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.”
Thomas Jefferson: “My God! How little do my
countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and
which no other people on earth enjoy!”
What makes a leader:
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." -
John Quincy Adams
"A
leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way."
-
John C. Maxwell
"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a
follower." -
Steve Jobs
"Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality." -
Warren Bennis
"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus." -
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses." -
Mitt Romney
How to become a leader:
"Today
a reader, tomorrow a leader." -
Margaret Fuller
"Think little goals and
expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success." -
David
Joseph Schwartz
"If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull
down the shade." -
Tom Peters
"Be careful the environment you choose
because it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose because you
will become like them." -
W. Clement Stone
"Our business in life
is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves." -
E.
Joseph Cossman
"To succeed, one must be creative and persistent." -
John
H. Johnson
"If you care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it." -
William James
The difference between leadership and management:
"People
ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and
the boss drives." -
Theodore Roosevelt
"Management is about arranging and
telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing." -
Tom Peters
"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." -
Peter Drucker
Leaders and the led:
"You're only as good as the people you hire." -
Ray Kroc
"You
have to lead people gently toward what they already know is right."
-
Phil Crosby
"If you command wisely, you'll be obeyed cheerfully."
-
Thomas Fuller
"Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people." -
John D Rockefeller
"The speed of the leader is the speed of the gang." -
Mary Kay Ash
"It is better to have a lion at the head of an army of sheep, than a sheep at the head of an army of lions."
-Daniel Defoe
Leading through adversity:
"Leaders grasp nettles." -David Ogilvy "Problems are only opportunities in work clothes." -
Henry J. Kaiser
"The amount of good luck coming your way depends on your willingness to act." -
Barbara Sher
"There
are three secrets to [leading]. The first secret is have patience. The
second is be patient. And the third most important secret is patience."
-
Chuck Tanner
Independence Day Poetry
Lest We Forget
Fireworks and cookouts
And time spent with friends.
Swimming and playing
The good times never end.
But lest we forget
The reason for today
Let’s all say it now
Happy Independence Day!
A Nation Free
Today is a time for fireworks and fun
But we shouldn’t forget its reason.
This is one of the most important days
of the entire summer season.
Today’s the day our nation became free
and the date of the country’s birth.
For so many years we have grown to be
one of the best countries on earth.
Freedom's Price
Today we celebrate freedom
thanks to those who came before.
Those brave men who fought and died
in each and every war.
Freedom always comes at a price,
And while we celebrate
We should tip our hats to the heroes
who made our country great.
Red White and Blue
Hamburgers and hot dogs
cooked on the grill,
Fireworks in the night
giving us all a thrill.
The country all decked
in red white and blue.
Friends all saying
‘Happy 4th of July to you.’
A Day to Celebrate
The coals are red hot
The flag’s proudly waving.
The fireworks are popping
And the band’s loudly playing.
All over the country
we see the stripes and stars
Today we celebrate
this great country of ours.
Poetry by Sharon Hendricks
Have a happy 4th and enjoy that BBQ!!!
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