Happy 4th of July.

There is a lot going on in the Village but I’m going to save that for next week’s letter. This week I want to share with you what the Declaration of Independence means to me.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal” But until August 18,1920 when the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, women did not have the right to vote. In the 1970’s women were finally allowed to have a credit card in their name, apply for loans and own a home. My parents raised me to believe that I could accomplish anything. But that was not exactly true. In 1965 I was admitted to an all-male engineering school, Case Institute of Technology. My dream was to become an astrophysicist. I lasted a year. It seemed that neither the professors nor the male students wanted a woman to encroach on their territory. In those days all the ivy league and engineering schools were divided between men and women. Thankfully that is no longer the case.

My life is different now, just as it is for all women. We have the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, previously afforded only to men. I have had a career where I was on equal footing with men doing the same job. I received equal pay. And I was equally respected both in my career, and now as your Mayor. “We’ve come a long way, baby”.

And that is what the Declaration of Independence means to me. Freedom from oppression and exclusion. Freedom for all of us to pursue our dreams. So, on our 250th Anniversary, I want to celebrate America’s independence and the independence of all humans.

Stay safe this holiday. Pay attention to the flags and swim only at a safe distance from shore. Watch your little ones. It’s easy to get lost in the crowds of people that will be on the beaches. Drive safely and mind the speed limits. There will be a lot of extra enforcement on the roads to keep us safe. Remember that fireworks are not permitted within the village limits, but you can travel to the county to beach to set them off. Lake Jackson and Clute have large fireworks displays also. And drink lots of water. It’s going to be hot out there. Lastly, make sure your animals are safe. The noise and fireworks frighten many of them and they try to run.

God Bless the U.S.A.

Mayor Marsha