Rejoice - Independence Day!

Today we celebrate our Founding Fathers courage to declare independence from tyranny.  I recently learned some fascinating statistics about the Revolutionary War:

• There were 2.5 million colonists during the Revolutionary War period.  Only 3% participated in fighting
• 40% - 45% of Americans supported the Revolutionary War
• 15% - 20% of Americans were loyalists - Colonists who supported the British in opposing the Revolution are referred to as "Loyalists" or "Tories"
• The remaining Americans were neutral during the Revolutionary War

Imagine having no standing army and fighting against the largest standing and most well trained army on the planet at that time, and doing it with only 75,000 troops.  The war lasted 8 years. Imagine how quickly victory could have been obtained had more people actively fought.

I have said that the Declaration of Independence is the ringbolt to the chain of your nation's destiny; so, indeed, I regard it. The principles contained in that instrument are saving principles. Stand by those principles, be true to them on all occasions, in all places, against all foes, and at whatever cost. --Frederick Douglass