What a wonderful Fourth of July ??

Americans spend in excess of 2.3 billion dollars on fireworks. This year’s exact total I cannot find. 

Are we not a country of pride, to help others? What would 2.3 billion dollars do to help others? Plus the performances of our artists sharing their grace to our nation in the wonderful concerts. Consider celebrating our veterans who served our country for you because of their love for protecting your freedom by sacrificing themselves, and friends. Why not take half, 1.2 billion, and help serve them now? 

Why are veterans on the street who are homeless or dealing with PTSD from their service for you as you now sit at home enjoying your freedom? Shame to all of us who celebrate 247 years of our freedom without considering those who protected our right to be free. While you are shooting off or enjoying watching fireworks do you ever think that’s how it sounded every day for our veterans or our service people to serve our foreign countries while protecting you? 

What would just 1.2 billion do to help our veterans today? Eliminate poverty, homelessness, PTSD, provide treatment? Imagine yourself on July 4 sitting in your living room with your headphones on, sitting in silence to eliminate the PTSD of the war, while your children are outside enjoying the Fourth with all the fireworks. Loving fireworks to celebrate is great, although people, dogs, cats and young children are affected by the noise, the flash and the smoke. 

My challenge to America is to spend half and donate to the organizations that help our so-deserving veterans that fought for your freedom.

Kate Pankonin,

Grant