To the editor:

With Independence Day coming up, let us consider what American independence and freedom are all about. What is the meaning of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?

A couple of big issues are freedom of religion and the right to bear arms.

Why is it almost impossible to buy some types of shells and ammunition? Is the government going to take away our guns or just shut down the production of ammunition?

And yet we keep voting these people back into office to represent us. What, then, are free elections about?

Regarding the First Amendment, why is it illegal to display the Ten Commandments, yet we allow Muslims the right to freely and openly worship wherever and whenever they want? Whose America and whose freedom is it, anyway?

Are American veterans and servicemen the only people who care about all this? Our veterans gambled everything for our country, and servicemen continue to fight and stand for us. Now we are all right back where we started from — which is making a choice between God and atheism, between communism, terrorism and freedom.

With the freedom of choice, what will Americans choose?

Whether my flag is the Stars and Stripes of Old Glory or Dixie’s Southern Cross, it still has its stripes, and it is truly a star-spangled banner. My flag stands for freedom and one nation under one God. And in one God only do I trust, with truth, justice and freedom for all.

I still stand and pledge my allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the people’s democratically elected government. And I pray they never run Old Dixie down.

Isn’t it great to be living in the USA?

Leonard C. McIde

French Creek, W.Va.