Let me start by saying, happy Independence Day dear reader! The Fourth of July was a huge part of my childhood for many reasons. First and foremost, my parents are very patriotic. They taught me from early on that the generations before us were responsible for the freedom we, as United States citizens, so casually enjoy now. I was encouraged to learn about our country's past, both the good and the bad. Tough conversations were not pushed aside. The period in time that our f