INDEPENDENCE DAY THOUGHTS : STEVE KEEFER

I love Independence Day! When I was a kid my friends and I would go to The National Mall in Washington D.C. and eat fried chicken and catfish (and sneak beer) while watching fireworks. One year Mr. T played drums for the Beach Boys. Kickass fireworks, right in the heart of our Nation’s Capital brought me back in time and made me tingly with patriotism and love for the USA!

I love what we stand for as a country. I love that anybody can be anything they want, regardless of race, religion, income level, shape, size or whatever. I love that people can think what they want, and generally speaking, say what they want. I love that I am responsible for my own decisions and accountable for my own actions and life. Freedom! I celebrate freedom on Independence Day.

I also think about the concept of independence itself. Independence is not just economic independence, but takes many forms. One form is independence of thought. One of our country’s founding principles was to question authority. I mean this in a healthy sense, not disrespectfully! But there tends to be an agenda in a lot of things we hear. Politicians, the media, lobbyists, institutions, and individuals across the spectrum use propaganda to serve their own ends. I would like us to be sheepdogs, not sheep!

I see too many people, including many friends and family, who take their cues from some figurehead/religious leader/media source etc., and just regurgitate things without thinking. Freedom. Independent thinking. Don’t be a victim and don’t enable false agendas. Don’t believe the hype.

You may or may not like Flavah-Flav - again, free to like or not like him and his music! - but in my opinion, he and Public Enemy got something right here. Don't Believe the Hype!

But do enjoy your Independence Day, whatever it means to you :).

Steve Keefer

STEVE, WHO SERVED IN THE ARMY AS A 2/75 RANGER, IS CEO OF U.S. ELITE & FOUNDER OF CROSSFIT SOAR.