Yesterday's Independence Day celebration in Utah Valley had a special resonance this year.

Provo's Freedom Festival, as always, was loads of fun. The parade, the Jonas Brothers' performance at the Stadium of Fire and the concluding fireworks were splendid spectacles. Along with a slew of other events across the region and state, it was a vastly enjoyable weekend.

Yet the Festival's focus on liberty seemed more relevant than ever. Challenges to the U.S. and its ideals still loom. The economy continues to misfire. The federal government has taken on vast new powers while spending vast amounts of money. Hostile regimes in Tehran and Pyongyang seem more dangerous than ever, especially with the North Koreans threatening Hawaii with a missile.

Can we maintain our freedoms? The answer seems less certain today than at many times in history.

One sign of anxiety was the outbreak of "tea parties" -- the protests against the intrusions of big government. That included the Patriot's Day Fourth of July Tea Party in Orem, plus three more in Provo, making a total of 14 planned for Utah, and more than a thousand scheduled across the nation.

"It's an opportunity for citizens to speak out in support of the Constitution. ... It's more than a day of celebration; it's a day of action," said Orem resident Candance Salima, who organized the event at Lakeridge Junior High in Orem. "We just want our republic back."

It's too early to tell what the tea party movement really means now, or what it will become in the future. It's one thing to gather on a summer day and vent displeasure. It's another to work and strive for real freedom. We agree government has taken on too much power. But reducing that power will mean renouncing some of the goodies politicians can dispense, or at least seem to dispense.

Those in control don't want to give up their perks easily. Propose changing government in the smallest way and see how hard the bureaucrats and power brokers fight to keep the gravy train rolling.

History shows that reclaiming the nation won't be easy. At the Freedom Festival's patriotic service, UVU President Matthew Holland spoke of the terrible toll the Civil War took on President Lincoln, comparing pictures of him taken when he became president in 1861 and at war's end in 1865.

"He appears to have aged 40 years," Holland said. "It had only been four." That kind of suffering and sacrifice may be required to maintain freedom. It might be wondered, then, if our modern age can muster that kind of resolve and dedication.

Sacrifices are demanded today. For instance, the Freedom Festival's Freedom Award winners included Marine Sgt. Merlin German, who in the Iraq War suffered severe burns that ultimately claimed his life. That's a moving reminder that freedom isn't free.

And people everywhere continue to stand up for their rights. The tea parties are, at least, a sign that Americans want to keep their liberty.

Or take the "Milestones of Freedom at Ellis Island." At the Orem event on Thursday, a dozen people gained U.S. citizenship at an official ceremony. Despite everything, our nation remains a beacon of hope and liberty.

For all the threats on the international scene, there is good news, too. Iraqi police and troops took over control of that nation's cities as U.S. troops withdrew. In Iran, reformers continue to defy the regime. A recent poll said that than 80 percent of Pakistanis view the Taliban as a critical threat to their country. That's a shift in opinion that may auger well for that troubled region.

If the times have made us look more anxiously at our freedom, they should also give us hope and resolve. We'll need them more than ever to protect our liberties in a dangerous world, both abroad and at home.

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