Independence day of America
It is said that nations are born. Americans are considered the most developed nations in the world with influence in global affairs. America has not become great within nights rather it is a course of decades and centuries when it got freedom from British Empire. Americans fought a war of independence against Britians and won their freedom in 1776. Yes, Americans knew they are capable of doing things better than others and letter on they prove their struggle in every field of life. It is a fact that they did not get freedom without paying any cost but they sacrificed blood, sacrificed lives and consequently they got freedom. When nations are born after sacrificing blood, they know the actual price of that freedom. In order to memorise the days of freedom, nations keep them celebrating annually in full swing. Americans celebrate their freedom day on Fourth of July by showing their love for the country and expressing national unity. Throughout the country, independence day is linked with fireworks, parties, club nights and national songs in which Americans are good at. The political leadership deliver the messages of national character to the nation and demand their love and loyalty for the state.
Independence Day is a historical event which has been celebrating since 241 years and on the first anniversary, thirteen gunshots were fired twice a day to salute the country which is a continual practice since then. A lot of fireworks are observed throughout the country by the general public and state authorities. The fourth of July is observed as a national holiday and the whole nation commemorate their independence outside their homes. The United States of America shakes and enlighten with the noise and light of fireworks. The night before Fourth of July gives the impression of war theatre as a lot of fire powder consume and exploded that night. Yes, it is a duty and right of everyone to celebrate his national day with full zeal but there is a community in a society which does not feel well with the fire explosions.
They are the war heroes who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is absolutely true that fireworks on the fourth observe as an old tradition but to war veterans, explosions provoke memories of war in their minds. Such explosions and noise have the capability to originate the feelings of war when bullets and bombs are exploded which create irritation in their minds and effects psychologically. A war veteran says that an explosion in Fourth night sounds like a mortar shell which still feels like a battlefield. Though not all the war veterans suffer from PTSD and those who do not suffer, they also do not like to experience that situation. A veteran Hernandez said, “we just have a lot of people in the community who are still re-integrating and never fully transited out”.
They say that they are the victims of fireworks and suffer from PTSD and normal fireworks lead their mind to the war times. Some of the war veterans claim that such a bulk of fireworks hurt them psychologically and feel painful. Tahara De’Maio, a war veteran said: “We do not celebrate the Fourth really. It is not a celebration to me”. It is not because they do not love their country but because it makes their minds painful and rememorizes the events of a war zone. Tahara served in Special Assignment Unit in Iraq and had severe effects on her psyche. She said that she spend the Fourth in the basement of her house with her son while watching movies. She argues that it is the best way to spend a day in silence and to maintain good psychological health. It is not the story of only Tahara but there are two million service members who spend long war times in Afghanistan and Iraq and they do not want to feel warlike feelings. The war veterans attend psychological classes to soothe their mind and get full mental health but the Fourth does not mean them a joyful day.
Brashear, another war affected soldier, states his war days experience and its effects on his psyche. He states that war veterans are very good at hiding their feelings and never express anything that they had experienced but on the Fourth, they could not hide their feelings and their memories come out of their minds. These are the havocs of war which had effects on their mental situation. It appears as the celebrations on the independence should not be allowed because the war veterans can ease their feelings but the Americans are proved to be very optimistic. The veterans celebrate their day in their own way but the others celebrate their day in their full capacity. All the soldiers pay salute to their flag on the day of independence and visit their cantonments.
The people of United States of America celebrate the day of independence and explode fire powder and patients of PTSD are invited to the environment where they can spend the day in a calm environment. All the celebrations are widely celebrated throughout the country and commanders of corps deliver heroic messages to the soldiers and make them mentally prepare for all the times to face. It is up to the commanders how they lead their soldiers in war and the non-war environment.
Independence day in Americans history has long standing event and people prepare for the event like other religious festivals. The war veterans prepare according to their own taste which would not remember them war explosions. It is optimistic that everyone takes an active part in ceremonies and for a single community, celebrations have not to stop or limit because national days are the live wire in the life of nations and nations got an opportunity to show its resilience to the cause for they are united under a single flag.