This is what we call Independence

Hello Everybody! It’s that time again. The 4th of July. This is the day, we celebrate a bunch of rebellious men publishing a memo declaring sovereignty from one of the largest empires in the world. This day is tantamount to filing divorce papers. But, let’s not forget, it wasn’t the end. It merely marked an acknowledgement of what was already underway. We had been at war with England for several years when the Declaration of independence was penned. There wasn’t even a fully developed government at the time. We were, in fact British citizens (except for the natives and slaves, but that is a whole different discussion). In a way, it was arrogance and an entrepreneurial spirit that led to The United States becoming a Sovereign nation. This is what we call Independence.

In America, Europeans found a wealth of resources. Between land, waterways, agriculture, and raw materials, they could sustain life and develop society. The initial colonization of this land was funded by the British. And, that gave them dominion over the people here. But, after a while, the inhabitants here realized they could sustain an existence without help from an absentee government. And, being a colony, there was no representation in British parliament. How long could this go on?

This is what we call Independence. Or is it domination?

The first settlement of British nationals was Roanoke in 1585, followed by Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. But, those weren’t permanent settlements. Of course, the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, MA in 1620, cementing the first British invasion. But, there were already settlers in the states from other countries. St Augustine Florida became the first permanent settlement in 1565. To this day, it is the oldest continuously occupied city in the country. But, it is often overlooked because it was founded by Spanish explorers seeking the fountain of youth. And, since the Brits took control, all other nationalities took a backseat (including the indigenous people).

But, the discovery of the Americas by Europeans dates back to Columbus in 1492. And, the vikings first landed in North America 500 years before that. So, really, the Brits whom we credit with founding America were really just opportunists with good PR skills and a vision for what the land could be. We can complain all day about who really owns America. But, the truth is, the British settlers were more organized and deliberate in the development of the land. So, we do owe a debt of gratitude to them for organizing the states into a cohesive society. Otherwise, it would all be wilderness. And, every day would be a struggle for survival.

200 years of development or oppression depending on your point of view.

So, there it is. Several European communities trying to lay claim to a resource rich land. And, the Brits came out on top. But, our buddy King George wanted to keep all the riches for himself. After close to 200 years of people turning wilderness into society, the settlers had had enough. Look at it this way. Suppose you spent generations building a society. Most of your citizens had never even been to England. And, yet, the fruits of your labor were still going to England to keep King George in tights and caviar. You’d be a little bit frustrated. So, the time had come for a divorce. And, in the 1770’s England’s American bride finally said enough is enough.

So, that leads us to the declaration of independence.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

That is the opening paragraph of the declaration. It’s a pretty wordy version of: buh bye!

This is what we call Independence. Leading by example.

We had fought the Brits for 5 years before finally putting our intentions on paper. Then, it took another 11 years before we had our own constitution. And, like a couple with kids who still had to talk after the divorce, we have done a surprisingly good job of remaining friends over the centuries. To this day, we are still close with The British and other European allies. This is a testament to the concept of cooperation that our country stands for. With the exception of the current political climate, we are generally a pretty fair country, willing to work with people on common goals.

The 2 world wars of the last century are prime examples of our ability to get along with others and work toward a common goal. The organizational spirit that brought the British ancestors to develop our country has enabled us to be world leaders. Many call the USA the greatest nation on Earth. And, while there is no such thing as a perfect nation, we do lead in many aspects. This is what we call Independence. It is leadership and the ability to change the destiny of humanity. By leading and staying true to our core tenets of equality and opportunity, we can expand the spirit of the United states to every corner of the globe. So, let’s put aside our silly partisan bickering and get back to doing what we do best, cooperating and developing societies.

This is what we call Independence. Time to celebrate!

So, we made mistakes along the way. And, there are still mistakes made to this day. But, the central theme of the USA is Unity. Hell, it’s in our name the UNITED states of America. To make the United states we had to take people from disparate backgrounds and find common ground for us all to rally around. Food is one of those things. We all have to eat. And, most people really love good food. In fact some people like to have dinner every night.

As a caterer, I have cooked for a lot of weddings. But, I have always thought that there should be more divorce parties. Let’s start with the best divorce of them all: the declaration of independence.

Fire up your melting pots. Here’s your Independence day menu:

America is, famously known as a melting pot. So, this menu is a way to reflect that spirit. All of the ingredients are available in the states. And, each dish has influences from different states and the people who colonized the states.

1. Southwestern Spicy Chilled Cantaloupe Soup
2. Seattle coffee Rubbed Chicken Breast with Spicy Carolina vinegar Sauce
3. New England Garlic Rubbed Steak with Wild Mushroom Ragout
4. Mexican Quinoa Salad with baby peppers
5. Bacon and Onion braised Brussel Sprouts
6. Local baby Greens with Summer vegetables and Herbed Vinaigrette
7. Classic Red, White, and Blue Berry shortcake