The idyllic town of Livingston Manor, situated in the Catskills about two hours from New York City, was the scene for a Revolutionary War reenactment this weekend. Two military heroes were remembered – George Washington, and Benedict Arnold. Our host was Ian Williams, a Welshman from Liverpool, England along with his family. The air was festive at his Fifth Annual Benedict Arnold Appreciation Society barbecue. Friends, neighbors, journalists, pundits, intellectuals, and activists debated the treachery of Benedict Arnold over much libation on Sunday, July 3. (Some of you may know Ian personally, as he is a Facebook Fan – UN Correspondent, writer, author of “Rum: A Social History of the Real Spirit of 1776,” ---and character!) History was reflected. Was Benedict Arnold really the traitor he was made out to be? Were the Founding Fathers all so innocent? Both George and Benedict were military heroes, George from Virginia, and Benedict hailing from Connecticut. Did Benedict’s demise stem from extreme vanity and a sense of being jilted at not receiving the acclamation he felt he was due following injury in the line of duty? Were Tory ideals any less noble than the Patriots’, and were they perhaps more fair in dealing with the Native Americans? July 4 came early, too early. Today, it was a more traditional barbecue with good friends in Manhattan, a terrace, and magnificent skyline. As we watched spectacular fireworks over the Hudson River over the "oohhh’s" and "ahhhh’s," I waxed nostalgic and felt a deep appreciation to the Founding Fathers who made my life of freedom possible. Maybe they weren’t perfect. They were men …but men with a vision, courage, and determination. How many patriots died in the quest for liberation, and how many of our servicemen and women will continue to fight and die for the cause of freedom today? With the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop, and a voice that captured the night, Beyonce’s rendition of the Lee Greenwood song “God Bless the USA!” still reverberates in my ears this morning, and picture postcards of liberty’s dreams are embedded in my mind forever, at least until the next July 4th. -----By, Susan Sacirbey Become a Facebook Fan: “Diplomatically Incorrect” and “Susan Sacirbey” Follow on TWITTER @: DiplomaticallyX Related Film & Blog Reports: “American Independence – Was it Civil War or Revolution?” By, Ambassador Mo diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/american-independence-was-it-a-civil-war-or-revolution-by-ambassador-mo/30807 “US Apologize to Native Americans?” diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/us-apologize-to-native-americans/22264 “Diplomatically Incorrect” Channels: diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/diplomatically-incorrect “UNdiplomatic” Channels: diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/diplomatically-incorrect