“This bill lays an energy tax at the feet of every man, woman and child who flips on a light switch. I get as angry as anyone when gas prices go up because we don’t have a strong enough infrastructure of renewable and domestic fuels,” U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said. “But this bill would intentionally increase the price of energy in American households and cars by 40 to 80 percent. It’s an affront to American families and a threat to American jobs.”

“The focus is going to be on getting more kids out to play,” said new Willow Springs High School head football coach Matt Perkins. “It doesn’t matter who’s here if we can’t turn kids out (to play). That’s been my focus. Hopefully, we’ll have what it takes to get them excited about football.”

While I’m all for celebrating the freedom we have and our independence on Independence Day, I also believe it’s our duty to reflect a little on the red, white and blue. Our history shows us that the Revolutionary War and the Civil War were fought “amongst us” – with unlikely battlegrounds and unlikely heroes. But if, God forbid, history were ever to repeat itself, would we have that much courage?