As regular readers of SJ know, I am surprisingly patriotic for someone who occasionally criticizes my nation and its officials, both right and left. It’s harder this year than it has been in the past. It’s not that my love of country has waned, but that too many within the MAGA fold who call themselves “patriots” care little about the Constitution, that thing that makes us Americans.
But I refuse to give up, either on this nation or its Constitution, even if we just saw Congress fold like a cheap suit to the whims of a vulgar, deceitful, vindictive, narcissistic ignoramus. And so, I celebrate today, the Fourth of July, in the 249 year of our independence. I celebrate the Americans who gave their lives for their country. I celebrate the blessings of liberty we enjoy, even as armed masked men snatch people off the street for looking swarthy.
I do this not because things are going well. They’re not, as a president violates the law and Constitution to the applause of the simpletons who don’t care how he rids the nation of unwanted immigrants, as long as he seems to be doing so. As long as they get health care, they don’t care about others who will be denied. As long as they have jobs, they don’t care if others are unceremoniously and mindlessly fired. As long as they can eat they don’t care if others starve.
The United States of America has gone through dark and difficult times before, and it survived and overcame the failings of bad presidents, failed institutions and angry, hateful, selfish citizens. I refuse to accept the premise that we will not do so again, and I will continue to fight for the America we were given by our forefathers.
I believe in America. I believe in our Constitution. I believe that we will make it to 250 and overcome this aberration in our tradition of freedom. Happy Fourth of July, my fellow Americans and friends of the Constitution everywhere.
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The country’s seen hard times before and will again. We survived Nixon and we will survive this. Hopefully this will be the wake up call we needed, on both sides, and we will come out better and stronger in the end.
Fourth of July celebrations themselves are under threat:
A deadly fireworks explosion in Yolo County has disrupted Fourth of July celebrations across Northern California, prompting a wave of cancellations and postponements from Chico to the Bay Area.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday at 6:02 p.m. at a pyrotechnics facility near Esparto, to the west of Sacramento. According to a joint news release from Cal Fire and the Esparto Fire Protection District, seven individuals remain unaccounted for, and the site is now an active crime scene.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,” the business operating at the site, Devastating Pyrotechnics, said in a public statement. “We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and emergency personnel. Our focus will remain on those directly impacted by this tragedy, and we will cooperate fully with the proper authorities in their investigation.”
The aftermath has left a ripple effect on cities throughout the Bay Area.
Wave that flag
Wave it wide and high
Happy Birthday America!
I believe, too. To the soundtrack of The Charlie Daniels Band, “In America”. The United States is the best place to live and die.
It is interesting to note how much we like aberrations occasionally. The Whiskey Rebellion, Bloody Kansas, The absurdity of the Civil War, The Guilded Age, Grant’s corruption, periodic assassinations, roaring twenties/great depression, World Wars then Korea, then Viet Nam then War on Terror then …, Kennedy-Johnson-Nixon, Junior Bush showing Papa Bush who has the steeliest balls, Clinton and the blue dress, Obama getting elected, and now Trump.
We overcame each aberration and will this one. Despite differences, I just sat on the curb in Temecula, California to watch the Fourth of July parade. The Riverside County Republican Club got polite applause. The Riverside County Democrat club got polite applause and a few cheers. We seemed to like ourselves this morning. A hopeful sign.
FWIW, celebration today is celebration in our 250th year.