Let’s celebrate America!

It’s often been said that there are many more things that unite us than divide us in America, and never has this been more in evidence than on the annual July 4th holiday when so much patriotism is on display. July 4th marks another milestone in the relatively short history of our great country, the United States of America!
It is a time of celebration with parades, barbecues, arts and crafts festivals, and, of course, fireworks. You can find it all right here in Custer with all the many Old Time Country 4th events listed in the pages of this newspaper, delivered to you locally before the holiday.
July 2, 1776 the Continental Congress voted for independence from Great Britain and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence drafted by Thomas Jefferson, one of the four  famous stone faces on nearby Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
The tradition of our Independence Day celebrations goes way back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. In 1870 Congress declared July 4 a federal holiday. In 1941 Congress made it a paid holiday for all federal workers.
No matter what day of the week July 4th falls on it is always celebrated on the 4th, unlike so many other federal holidays that have been moved to a Monday.
At a time when there is so much angst in the country, let’s use this coming weekend to remember that we are all Americans. Black or white, Christian or Muslim, Democrat or Republican, we all live in the United States of America, and we all are privileged to live here. Yes, the United States is imperfect in many ways, but this is still the land of the free and the home of the brave, a land of limitless opportunity for those who are willing to work for it. If you love the United States, she will most certainly love you back.
So, this weekend, shake hands will a fellow American. Thank a veteran for their service. Give a salue to old glory.  To our out of town visitors, if you are looking for a patrotic weekend, you have come to the right place. There are few towns, if any, that celebrate Independence Day with the fervor the City of Custer does. We love our country, our flag and our men and women of the armed forces who make it all possible. It’s impossible not to get chills when that B-1 Bomber streaks through the sky to kick off the annual parades.
So, let us all come together and fly the American flag and enjoy all the family-friendly activities Custer has to offer this week as we celebrate another birthday of the United States of America!