dc_holiday:

"When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds 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.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Across the great nation of the United States of America people everywhere celebrate the freedoms that they enjoy, the history, government, and traditions of the United States with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events.

compassionate:

Katima had opted not to return to Earth.  Something about the battle had made it clear to her that, while she loved the boys, that was not where she was meant to be.  She was linked to Alerron; something in her heart told her that and so she sent away her friends and she herself stayed behind.  The wounds she had sustained were painful, but not dire.  She would be fine and the bruises would heal.  Physical things were minor, compared to the feelings she was reading from people on New Tameran. 

She sought out Alerron.  She could tell he was suffering.  She could tell he was worrying about his sister.

greengenes:

Mickey loved the Fourth of July for two reasons- first was for the giant barbeque that the JSA had every year at the Brownstone. The second was because it was also her birthday.

It was a joint party all day long, and at the end of the day, just before the fireworks were set off, everyone gathered around the picnic table and sang Happy Birthday to Mickey. She blew out the candles on the cake that her Grandma Molly had made for her, which had a flag on it and "Happy Birthday Mickey!" in red and blue frosting.

Mickey bit into a piece of cake as the fireworks began to go off. She was seventeen. Another year older, and another perfect birthday. It was nice to spend the day with family and friends.