Today we celebrate an action of congress. Today is the celebration of our declaration of Independence, when the thirteen British colonies on North America announced their divorce from their mother country and proclaimed themselves a new nation.

This nation was not created perfect, it was created under the taint of slavery and without a concept of equality as widely applied as today, but it did proclaim the principles that have set the course for ever increasing freedom and equality for mankind.

I am immensely proud the be an American. I am passionately devoted to equality, and while perfection can never be achieved by mortal man, in my opinion no nation has done more for the betterment of humanity, ethically or materially than the United States of America.