Sometimes it’s easy to forget how good we have it. Certainly our government isn’t perfect, and neither are the people who run it. It’s easy to get caught up in the back and forth between political parties, arguments about birth certificates, health care and spending. But, if you ever needed a reminder of how sweet the freedom our great nation provides is, look no further than your Twitter timeline.
You may think I’m crazy to compare our freedom as Americans to social media. Charlie Sheen tweeting about being a “warlock” and Kim Kardashian tweeting about her butt seem ridiculous compared to civil rights and freedom of religion. But, while I don’t think our forefathers had Twitter or Facebook in mind when they wrote the First Amendment, I am sure they intended to create a nation where the government didn’t control the media.
They couldn’t have imagined that we’d tweet every mundane or salacious detail of our lives or secretly check Facebook status updates when the boss isn’t looking. They did, however, intend for us to be free to speak our minds—including your thoughts on birth certificates and health care and the candidates that you think are just plain crazy. And, that, friends, is a freedom we enjoy that so many others cannot.
This Fourth of July, I am thankful that I live in a country where Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson can break the news of Osama bin Laden’s death on Twitter, where someone can Tweet wise messages from Yoda and Batman, and where my mother can overshare our family photos with her Facebook friends.
So, tweet a picture of the cheesy HotPocket you are about to enjoy. Go on Facebook and tell everyone why your favorite team is better than your rival and unfriend anyone who disagrees. Blog about your child’s issues with potty training (or maybe not). Just don’t forget to thank the servicemen and women, past and present, who have served, protected and sacrificed for our country and our freedom.
What are you thankful for this Fourth of July?
As design director at Cookerly, Tim serves as the creative lead in the development of branding campaigns, print collateral and digital media for clients across a broad range of industries, including consumer, professional services, healthcare and technology.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman is a strategic communications leader specializing in media relations and reputation management. With a proven track record of securing high-profile placements in top-tier outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and USA Today, he excels at crafting compelling narratives that resonate across print, broadcast and digital platforms.
Mike Touhill is vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, where he helps lead traditional, social and digital media programs for B2B and B2C clients in packaging, telecommunications and technology, among other industries. As a communication leader, he develops and executes public relations strategy, provides proactive and reactive counsel to C-level executives and secures earned media coverage for client initiatives and product.
Andrew Agan is a vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, overseeing the agency’s internship program and leading media relations, content strategy and social media initiatives. He provides counsel and executes campaigns for clients across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, hospitality, technology, automotive and many others. Andrew excels at crafting compelling stories and building media relationships, resulting in clients being featured in notable outlets such as CNBC, Associated Press, Business Insider, Fox Business, HBO, Inc. Magazine, Sirius XM, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, among others.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.