YOU KNOW WHAT JULY 4 HAS BECOME? At least for the majority of Americans? An extended weekend away from work, one long beer fest and a massive mobilation of toned bodies determined to get their tan on as summer hits its stride. Whatever.

Oh, sure.... There are the parades, and the fluttering of flags up and down the millions of Main Streets that cross Broad Streets in the heart of practically every American city. There are bands playing, and fireworks, and bunting on our post offices, homes and political hearts.

The only part I really care about is the soldiers - those living, those deceased, and the generation of young people we're about to ship off to parts unknown, all in the name and for the sake of peace. The sacrifices they make can never be underestimated. Ever. (If you want a grim portrayal, I encourage you to read "All Quiet on the Western Front." It'll haunt you 'til the day you die and make even the most brutally realistic war movies seem timid by comparison.)

 A friend who served in the military told me recently that soldiers don't make war. Indeed, facing each other's firing squads, they tend to have a great deal more respect for their "enemies," and for the value of life, than those making the decisions about where and who they should fight. I can't speak to that, having never served in the military, though family members have.... But it makes more sense to me that the frontliners understand the risks they face and the sacrifices they make than the military leaders calling the shots in relative safety - or the silly, spoiled Americans acting like Monday-morning quarterbacks here at home and second-guessing strategies from the sidelines (thousands of miles away, of course).

Call me crazy, but JULY 4 SHOULD BE A SACRED DAY. It represents the very essence of American life and death, all our trials and tribulations - and I think we've so often heard about the "sacrifices" made on behalf of liberty, and victory, that many of us have stopped listening and thinking about what the hell the day even means anymore.

Here's what it's NOT, in my humble opinion:

• July 4 is NOT an advertising strategy. Patriotism apparently is, but I would wish that July 4 was a whole lot less commercial (the closest thing I can think of is Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday - and even that's going all Christmasy on me, more and more so every year).


• July 4 is NOT a time to reflect on the passing of summer, but rather, a time to remind ourselves just how damn lucky we are. I don't care if you're a neo-con, a moderate or a liberal. I don't care about your culture, religion, race or creed. If you're an American, you've got so much more to be grateful for than most of the world. And the price we paid is symbolized by July 4 - and in all the military actions preceding it and following it, even to our conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. All that said...


• July 4 IS when Americans should come together - not argue over whether we've become the new evil empire or, conversely, whether we should be fighting even harder to maintain our global hegemony. I'm  a pacificist. And I'm a realist. While I'd love for there to be no war anywhere in the world, humans just haven't advanced to that level yet. (God knows when that will be, but we can hope.) Pray for peace, and pray for the safety of all soldiers this holiday.


• July 4 IS an annual opportunity to ask ourselves how WE can serve. Not everyone is called to active duty. But we all have a duty to contribute something to this nation that gave birth to us and our families, our collective hopes and our individual dreams. Whether you're willing to create care packages for soldiers overseas and coordinate delivery with local VFWs or able to volunteer a few hours to any of the countless agencies that help Americans in real need, there have to be a million ways each of us can do our part. I believe service is one of the distinguishing characteristics of our American society - and the hallmark of every good citizen.

So before you crack open a cold one this weekend - and even if you're already enjoying the most popular vacation week of summer - give yourself a moment to explore just one way to express your American loyalty and gratitude.

At the very least, call someone you personally know who has served or will serve this great nation of ours - and THANK HIM OR HER for contributing to the legacy of sacrifice so many in the U.S. sadly take for granted.

Indeed, that may well be the best thing you can do on behalf of our collective American soul.