THAT’s the official name of the holiday we celebrate today, more commonly known simply as the 4th of July. This is our annual greeting for the Fourth. It’s a day for picnics and parades – at least on the mainland – and for fireworks. It was touch-and-go for awhile, but we will have fireworks here tonight fired from the carnival site in Barrigada. The Liberation Day Committee has also been able to arrange for a special parachute jump with a huge American flag. If you want to see that, get to the carnival before 6 p.m. The fireworks will be lit at 9.

July 4 has always taken a bit of a backseat here on Guam to July 21, Liberation Day. But most of us look forward to both holidays, and for our large military population especially, it just wouldn’t be right to let the Fourth go by without some celebrating. After all, this is the most red, white and blue holiday we have. Up on Saipan, in fact, they celebrate this day as their Liberation Day, for Saipan and Tinian were liberated from the Japanese before the battle for Guam began.

This is also a day for reflection on what it means to be an American. This is our nation’s birthday, 236 years since we declared our independence from Britain. It is our National Day.

Here on Guam, the day engenders some mixed reaction from folks who would like to see Guam become independent, or at least have a vote among the indigenous inhabitants about whether they wish to continue being part of the United States. There are many who feel our status as a “colony” is not a satisfactory final status. There were serious efforts underway early in the Calvo administration to bring about that vote, although we have not heard much about it recently.

Most feel such a plebiscite would result in closer ties between the United States and Guam. Polls consistently indicate we do not want to give up our U.S. citizenship; however, until the vote takes place, nobody really knows for sure. It now appears a status plebiscite is unlikely before 2014 or even later.

Disagreement about Guam self-determination aside, we have a hunch almost everyone on this island, where America’s Independence Day begins, will celebrate the birthday today. Whatever you have planned – a picnic, the beach, a round of golf or some other sporting activity, or just a day spent at home with family – we hope you enjoy your mid-week holiday. We extend a special greeting to all those who are working today, many to help serve and protect us. They may not get the day off but we’re sure they will celebrate in other ways.

Catch that parachute jump this evening. If the weather’s nice it should be pretty special.

Happy Independence Day, America!