Independence is the priceless gift of human freedom; it is the foundation of America. Independence is the cherished gift that our Founding Fathers left us; it is a legacy we should keep, honor, and appreciate. It has made America free, respected and prosperous. The symbolism of an American flag waving is the heart of American democracy; it stands for personal rights, and human dignity. The independence that Americans have been given honor citizens with the ability to think for themselves and guide their own path of life. To be an American means to be protected to think and to react to other's thinking. Americans are given the right to liberty; they are given freedom of speech, religion and action. Americans have been offered the right to the pursuit of happiness, whether it is a choice of career, hobbies, friends or other life choices. The declaration of independence is a binding symbol of what America stands for: sovereignty and justice. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed independence is the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Although these ideals are what our country stands for and promotes, there are cases in which America and Americans forget just how to respect the foundation of independence and freedom.

After terrorist attacks, innocent people from the Middle East and Arabic countries are unfairly targeted as threats to society. It is ironic how some Americans deny Arabs of the same rights that these Americans are trying to preserve. In other cases, even Americans are being denied their rights to pursue happiness; gay couples face ridicule and prosecution from society. If America truly stands for laws of freedom to be who one wants to be, then why do gay couples have to cope with marriage laws against them and presidents who don't support them? Although America does, sometimes, not live up fully to it's motto for freedom or justice, the ideals that our country is bestowed upon are unlike any in the world. With America's utopian declaration, America has the potential to be a place that honestly is the land of the free.