Gary Elliott likes to celebrate our nation’s birth by wearing his red, white and blue boxers.
“Yeah, I would call myself patriotic,” Elliott, a Eugene resident, said. He enjoyed his Fourth of July by partaking in this year’s Freedom Festival at Alton Baker Park.
This year’s festival included bands, food vendors, kids’ games and fireworks, all in the name of freedom.
“We came out here to enjoy the community, and it’s fun to watch the kids because they are so carefree,” said Chuck and Kim King of Eugene. They enjoyed their frozen bananas to the beats of The Revelators.
“Happy Birthday, America!” the lead singer of The Revelators announced as he kicked off the music for the evening.
Along with celebrating the nation’s independence, Chuck King said the holiday has a level of personal importance.
While sitting in the shade with his wife, Kim, he said he remembered the sacrifices made by his father that enabled him to enjoy himself on this national holiday.
“My father was an officer in the Navy and had to make the sacrifice of watching us grow up to serve his country,” he said.
Elliott agrees with the importance of remembering those who gave their lives for America.
“I think it is important to remember those who are dead, no matter what holiday,” he said.
Even though Elliott identified himself as a patriotic citizen, he added that he can still see the nation’s flaws.
“I believe that we are the freest country and the most corrupt country,” he said.
Some University students said the Fourth of July puts too much emphasis on celebrating the birth of a corrupt country. Regardless of their position on patriotism, students found a variety of ways to celebrate.Senior women’s studies major Nikki Fancher celebrated the Fourth of July by going to an “anti-Fourth of July” party.
“Fourth of July has typically meant relatives forcing you to celebrate a holiday that you don’t believe in,” Fancher said. But she does enjoy eating food and drinking beer with those that she cares about, regardless of the significance of this holiday.
“It is mainly a holiday based on myths and lies,” Fancher said.
Athea Vichas, a junior biology major, agreed with the idea of sharing the holiday with friends instead of family.
“Fourth of July is about partying with friends instead of setting off crappy fireworks in your cul-de-sac,” Vichas said. Her definition of this holiday is “not the typical nationalism. It basically gives us a free day off from school and working.”
Undeclared sophomore Josh Waldman and junior history and political science major Andy Bransford enjoyed the day off as well.
“We are celebrating our national pride day by swimming and drinking beer,” both said. Waldman thinks the Fourth is a time “to forget about school or work and come together and relate to each other as Americans.”
Bransford agreed and added, “Be happy that we have this freedom.”