“July 4th” Doesn’t Feel Like Independence Day
If you get on Twitter this morning, you’ll see trending “Fvck the Fourth” and “All Countries Matter.” Last night I saw “the End of America” trending with journalists writing about how bad the future looks for America. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who felt like this 4th of July lacked a spark: it feels more like a day of mourning. Rocked by division, poor leadership, and a complacent citizenry, America today lacks the spirit of 1776 in every way imaginable.
America on July 4th, 1776 was led by our “Founding Fathers”: geniuses like Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, and James Madison who created a government that was the awe and envy of the world. Now look at our leaders as reflected in who is running for President: Trump and Biden, a couple of loud mouthed bozos. They’re laughingstocks, not leaders. Neither man commands the honor and respect that past presidents did, much less our 1st President George Washington.
Today Trump plans big fireworks displays at Mount Rushmore and Washington D.C. Fittingly, his celebration is controversial: the fireworks could set off wildfires in the forests around Mount Rushmore and some of the local Native Americans are offended that the monuments were built on land “sacred to the Sioux tribe.” In D.C. there are complaints about a lack of social distancing for corona-virus and there are planned Black Lives Matter protests that could clash with the revelers. Why pretend to celebrate when anything and everything leads to division and anger?
Independence Day celebrates the American Revolution, and while many people pretend to be revolutionaries today, they are certainly not. Protests over “systemic racism” are supported by corporate America, powerful news outlets, and elite universities. Nike, Amazon, Apple, and Walmart all cut fat checks to Black Lives Matter organizations, along with strong endorsements on social media. Republican politicians also agree with the basic premise of the protests. How revolutionary are you when all the “powers that be” are behind you? As for the other side, well, as usual, they can’t speak out because they are powerless against being called “racist.” They can easily lose their job, get doxed, or face harassment for being perceived as politically incorrect. Is that the kind of freedom of speech people want to celebrate?
The celebration of independence is long gone, “July 4th” is just a day to shoot fireworks for most people. A revolution to restore our country to prosperity and peace doesn’t come out of nowhere: it takes strong leaders, bold citizens, and shared values. That seems so hopeless, so far away. Independence Day is just another day, but there’s always hope for a better tomorrow: July 5th!
