July 4th is an important day to help children respect and embrace our country’s freedom and independence. But that’s not the lesson children got at the Peachtree City Parade.

I was with a group of 16 individuals in a Vote Obama entry in the parade. Six of us are from Peachtree City, the rest from Fayette County.

We are your neighbors. We are also volunteers. We do not represent any commercial or organizational interest, so we spent our own money on our balloon sculpture, our decorations, and the 700 Mardi Gras necklaces we gave to your children.

In appreciation for our participation in this celebration, we were booed, jeered, insulted, and targeted for thrown objects.

To those of you who did clap, cheer, or were simply polite — thank you.

July 4th is about freedom and independence. I am sad the children at the PTC parade got a lesson in intolerance and disrespect.

Irene Cheyne

Tyrone, Ga.