Fireworks and the Symphony

Happy Independence Day! Tonight I walked among the crowds on the capitol lawn here in Bismarck. The symphony played while the pyrotechnicians did their work and lit up the sky.

All across town, I hear and feel the rumble of exploding fireworks. There is a faint smoke drifting across town. The smell of gunpowder is in the air.

I'm grateful it's not the sound of mortar shells and car bombs. No matter what you think of our foreign policy, the war in Iraq, of our president, or our government in general, you have to agree we are blessed. This is a great, safe place to live.

Happy Birthday, U.S.A.