Freedom

For most people, the Fourth of July is a fun-filled day of pancake feeds, parades, barbecues, baseball games in the park and explosions of night-time fireworks. It's easy to get caught up in the enjoyment, and to forget the origins of the day. It isn't just the Fourth of July, it is Independence Day -- the day to celebrate the freedoms secured by our founders. When planning this year's Fourth of July festivities with your families, please remember America's first families who endured the Revolutionary War, which eventually won freedom from King George.

Tom Harman As we mark the 228th birthday of our nation, we must take the time to celebrate our Declaration of Independence. With great determination, our Founding Fathers charted a revolutionary course, which has created a world where we have the freedom to assemble, worship and speak freely. Thousands more have given their lives in service to our country to protect these freedoms. A simple principle sets our nation apart from others around the world: a government that is of the people, by the people and for the people.

This Monday, Feb. 19, we will observe a special day set aside to honor all the presidents of our glorious country. It is also a time to honor the country that elected those people to office and all those who fought to keep this country free of terrorists so free people could elect a president of their choice. This same feeling of patriotism was also felt on another Feb. 19, and this week we'll look back and relive an event of local history that shows the spirit of freedom.

Michele Marr Eric Strom and Debi Wheeler-Ure often sang together at the Huntington Beach Church of Religious Science. For a year before Strom's death on Easter Day in 1995, they were co-directors of music at the church. Wheeler-Ure considered Strom her mentor. She was a perfectionist and he taught her spontaneity. "Eric taught me the finest lesson of performance, which is, 'get out of the way and let God take over 'cuz honey, this stuff just isn't about you,'" said Wheeler-Ure.

One of the silliest things graduates are told is "Now, you're entering the real world." High school is the real world. There are real pains and struggles, love and triumph. What graduates are entering is the real world without a safety net. Most parents make sure their children have enough to eat and a place to sleep. But soon these graduates are on their own, responsible for their everyday lives and their future. To graduates, that lack of a safety net translates into freedom.

While most of us will spend Fourth of July with friends, family and neighbors watching fireworks, barbecuing and otherwise enjoying a summer holiday, we should not forget our fellow Americans who are fighting in far off lands to ensure our freedom. The freedoms we enjoy today have not been secured by words alone, but by men and women who have risked their lives to defend the principles of liberty and our right to independence. It is easy to get caught up in the enjoyment of the day without considering the origins of the holiday.

Mathis Winkler She came to honor America's heroes. But one of them was especially on Adrienne Reel's mind as she joined hundreds for the American Legion Newport Harbor Post 291's Memorial Day service Monday. Reel's husband, Paul, a World War II veteran, who had served in the U.S. Navy, had just died May 7. "It's a tribute to him and to all the veterans," Reel said, adding that her husband had been buried near the Navy memorial at Pacific View Memorial Park where the service took place.

If you asked our nation's youth about the meaning of "the call of duty," they would probably answer something about a video game or a blockbuster movie. Our veterans will assign a completely different meaning to the words "call of duty. " To them, it means doing a job that needs to be done, specifically standing up for freedom. Many men and women heard such a call during World War II. Some responded to the call of duty after hearing about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Others responded after learning of the atrocities occurring in Europe.

Military victories throughout our history have shaped the world in which we live and are the keystone of every American freedom. Largely due to our military might, the citizens of the United States have been given the opportunity to create the greatest model of democracy in world history. It is imperative that we as a country dedicate time to remember and celebrate those who have selflessly served our country. Without fail, these men and women in uniform have answered America's call so that the rest of us could remain unscathed and free to pursue other interests.

The Marine Corps builds men, but no one separates the men from the boys like the ancient Greeks. And if you think that's adolescent, wait until you see the movie "300," the blockbuster film about the legendary Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. "300" is a movie that can be enjoyed by 15-year-old boys of all ages. The Battle of Thermopylae is sometimes referred to as the Greek Alamo, where 300 Spartans stood their ground against tens of thousands of Persian invaders. Although the Spartans were ultimately beaten, they inflicted horrific casualties on the Persians and nearly defeated one of history's largest armies.

If you asked our nation's youth about the meaning of "the call of duty," they would probably answer something about a video game or a blockbuster movie. Our veterans will assign a completely different meaning to the words "call of duty. " To them, it means doing a job that needs to be done, specifically standing up for freedom. Many men and women heard such a call during World War II. Some responded to the call of duty after hearing about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Others responded after learning of the atrocities occurring in Europe.

Military victories throughout our history have shaped the world in which we live and are the keystone of every American freedom. Largely due to our military might, the citizens of the United States have been given the opportunity to create the greatest model of democracy in world history. It is imperative that we as a country dedicate time to remember and celebrate those who have selflessly served our country. Without fail, these men and women in uniform have answered America's call so that the rest of us could remain unscathed and free to pursue other interests.

The International Princess Project headquarters near John Wayne Airport stocks thousands of pairs of brilliantly-colored, batik-style drawstring pants known as PUNJAMMIES. This trademarked line of textile wear with an Indian twist targets Western women as a market, including the fashion-minded yoga set, through a word play on "pajamas. " Women in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and elsewhere in Orange County now promote IPP's mission by hosting so-called "PUNJAMMY Parties" at their homes - all for a good cause, freeing women from the international sex trade.

While most of us will spend Fourth of July with friends, family and neighbors watching fireworks, barbecuing and otherwise enjoying a summer holiday, we should not forget our fellow Americans who are fighting in far off lands to ensure our freedom. The freedoms we enjoy today have not been secured by words alone, but by men and women who have risked their lives to defend the principles of liberty and our right to independence. It is easy to get caught up in the enjoyment of the day without considering the origins of the holiday.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following letter is in response to the June 26 Soul Food column, “Churches bite nails as gay couples rejoice.”   Diann and I got married June 17 at the Laguna Hills Courthouse in front of my 80-year-old mother, Diann’s 85-year-old father and his wife, my brother and his partner, and a tearful deputy commissioner. It was a momentous, emotional, joyous and exciting day for us, as we have waited for this moment for more than 32 years.

When most Americans think of Memorial Day, they tend to think of the unofficial start of summer, backyard barbecues and a day off from work. But for many families in Orange County and across the nation, Memorial Day will have a deeply personal meaning this year and in the years to come. This is why when I think of Memorial Day, one thing comes to mind—sacrifice. It is this sacrifice which makes me so appreciative of what our country has been able to achieve. I am thankful for the men and women who spend every day of their lives defending our freedom and democracy both here in the United States and abroad.

Judaism is a faith with a rich history that has led to numerous festivals and cultural holidays, but Passover holds a special place because it celebrates the very beginning of the Jewish nation. It commemorates the Exodus, the flight of the Israelites from Egypt where they had been enslaved by the pharaoh of Egypt. “When God revealed himself to Moses, he said ‘I want to make them a nation,’ and that was the beginning of everything,” said Chabad of West Orange County Rabbi Yisroel Zavdi.

The surfers on Bolsa Chica State Beach Saturday rode the waves for two hours. Some were amateurs, while others were trying it again after a long absence from the sport. It could have been any group surfing event, except that everyone on the boards faced disabilities that the less-informed might think would keep them out of the water permanently. As part of the nonprofit organization Life Rolls On Foundation?s nationwide program ?They Will Surf Again,? 125 volunteers helped 24 participants with spinal cord injuries attain freedom and independence on the ocean.

The Marine Corps builds men, but no one separates the men from the boys like the ancient Greeks. And if you think that's adolescent, wait until you see the movie "300," the blockbuster film about the legendary Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. "300" is a movie that can be enjoyed by 15-year-old boys of all ages. The Battle of Thermopylae is sometimes referred to as the Greek Alamo, where 300 Spartans stood their ground against tens of thousands of Persian invaders. Although the Spartans were ultimately beaten, they inflicted horrific casualties on the Persians and nearly defeated one of history's largest armies.

This Monday, Feb. 19, we will observe a special day set aside to honor all the presidents of our glorious country. It is also a time to honor the country that elected those people to office and all those who fought to keep this country free of terrorists so free people could elect a president of their choice. This same feeling of patriotism was also felt on another Feb. 19, and this week we'll look back and relive an event of local history that shows the spirit of freedom.