Celebrate, but consider cost of freedom

Monday is one of my favorite days in Boulder City.

It’s the Fourth of July and that means it’s Damboree time.

The daylong event is full of activities for the entire family to enjoy. The festivities start early in the morning with a pancake breakfast in the park served by members of the Rotary Club of Boulder City.

Not only can you dine with your friends and neighbors, it’s free, though donations are most certainly welcome. Any donations received by the Rotarians are put back into the community through their various projects.

Then comes the parade through the historic downtown area before it heads down Fifth Street to Broadbent Park. The first half of the parade celebrates the holiday and community. Full Blown Fourth is its theme.

But it’s the second half of the parade, through the water zone, where things really get going. As the temperature creeps up, people, who are looking for a way to cool down, join in one of the largest water fights around. Some folks take their battles so seriously they obtain water trucks, you know the kind usually used on construction sites.

Afterward is the coin toss in the Boulder City Pool and a chance to visit with friends, family and alumni from Boulder City High School in Broadbent Park. Food and drinks will be available.

The day’s conclusion is an hours-long party at Veterans’ Memorial Park with music by DJ Mike Pacini and a spectacular fireworks display at 9 p.m.

It’s a great way to celebrate our nation’s independence and the reason why the Fourth of July is such an important holiday.

As our nation gained its independence from Great Britain, it afforded us a great many freedoms. These include, of course, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, as stated in the preamble to our Declaration of Independence.

It also helped establish our current form of government where we are given the opportunity to choose who represents our viewpoints. We saw that in action earlier this month during the primary election.

We also saw the results of previous elections come to light when the Supreme Court made some rulings — in particular the overturning of Roe v. Wade — that cast a shadow on this year’s joyous celebrations, at least for me.

Whether or not I am pro-life or pro-choice is immaterial. It’s from my perspective as a former foster parent that I wonder what this decision will mean for the future of our country. I wonder how many unwanted children will be born and who will care for them?

I know this is not an easy question to answer. There are already too many children in the foster care system whose parents cannot — or will not — take care of them. In Clark County alone, there are about 3,000 children in the system. And without proper prenatal care, these babies are often born with a litany of problems that will last their entire lives.

I have first-hand knowledge of this. It has been my life for the past 23 years since adopting two children that didn’t get that care and were later abandoned.

While we still have much to celebrate this year, including the joy that my children brought to my life despite their issues, there also are things we need to consider as we enjoy the freedoms our predecessors fought so bravely for.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.