Many countries have an independence day - that's why I specified the country. Let there be no ambiguity that I am wishing a happy Independence Day to my home country, the USA.

I do love my homeland - for the music, the culture, the food, the promise of opportunity, the air of optimism and class equality.

I've lived outside the US for almost 15 years now. At some point in the future I'll probably tick over to the point where I've lived more of my life overseas than the country of my birth.

When you do live in other countries - you look at the USA in a different way. You see it through the eyes of non-Americans. My kids tell me, in their Aussie classrooms, that the US is a target for criticism- gentle ribbing sometimes - bitter mocking at others. It's OK, because their classmates don't know that my kids are American. They have no yankee accent.

Recently - that classroom criticism has started to seep into other areas of my life - at work, on the street etc. I don't ever want to have to hide my Americanness. I hope that no one ever spray paints "yankee go home" on my garage door- or that my kids have to renounce their heritage to friends - because we like being American.

I had to peel my Obama bumper sticker off yesterday though. I was afraid that the car might get keyed, or egged.

So, selfishly, for my sake - and other ex-pats living overseas who love their country - if we could just get things a bit back on track - that would be great.

This is a very rambling post to wish my fellow country people a happy and hopeful Independence Day - and to urge you to attend or support the
Restore the Fourth movement.