“May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.”
This is an entry from last July 4th. It describes every year but this one. This year being patriotic also means taking care of yourself and others by wearing a mask and social distancing if you can.
I just love birthdays and today is the grandest of them all.
On July 3rd 1776, John Adams wrote a letter to his wife Abigail. In it, he predicted the celebrations for American Independence Day, including the parties:
“It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.”
John Adams expected July 2nd to be Independence Day as that was the day the Second Continental Congress voted for independence, but the signing ceremony for the Declaration of Independence didn’t happen until two days later so because July 4th appears on the Declaration, it became the date we celebrate Independence.
I know some people complain that the meaning of the day is lost in the barbecues and the fireworks, but they have forgotten John Adams’ hope. We are honoring the day exactly as he wished. Flags are waving everywhere. Families get together to celebrate and to break bread, albeit hot dog rolls. Fireworks illuminate the sky. Baseball is played on small town fields and in huge stadiums. Drums beat the cadence in parades. We sing rousing songs celebrating America and our freedom. We also sing heartfelt songs about what America means to us. We are many sorts of people, we Americans. We don’t all look the same, practice the same religion, eat the same foods or dress in the same way, but we all celebrate today.
“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” Happy Birthday, America, from all of us Americans.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
July 4, 2020 at 12:30 pm
Hi Kat,
Happy 4th of July. Fortunately, the plans of the idiot who lives temporarily at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. didn’t get his wish for a military parade. Instead, we all paid a huge monitory price for him to make a racially and divisive campaign speech at Mt. Rushmore. Once again he refused to wear a mask as did his followers in the audience who sat close together. Stupid is as stupid does.
This country has weathered many crises before but not under a divisive and ignorant president. We hopefully will get rid of him in November and begin to heal both physically and morally.
This country has been a great experiment in democracy and the forces of authoritarianism are at work to derail the experiment. Hopefully, the free press will continue to expose this administration for their self serving and criminal behavior before they kill the first amendment to the Constitution and silence their critics like other dictators have. His followers will continue to reject the truth as some kind of plot by the liberal forces. 😦
The one thing I miss the most is not having baseball. The truly American pastime is awaiting it’s debut. Together we can defeat this virus if we listen to the scientists and medical experts and not to ignorant Republicans. Let’s all do our part and vote in November regardless of the virus to rid our country of Trump and his fellow travelers in the Republican Party.
July 4, 2020 at 1:42 pm
Happy 4th of July, Bob
I continue to be appalled by this man’s total disregard for the people he supposedly governs. He needs to encourage the wearing of masks. He has no worries as he is tested daily, but look at the people around him. So many secret service agents have covid, they had trouble finding enough agents to go with Pence. Now, after last night, there will be more who are diagnosed, but it is their choice. I wish there was a way to keep people out of the hospital if they have refused to wear masks.
This is the president who never held public office and seemingly failed American history so he has no idea how the US government and the Constitution interact. He is the worst president for the time, for this crisis.
I think the press will never quit the reporting of what this president does and to whom. His words will come back, I hope, and bite him in the butt.
I miss baseball so much I watched Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS. That was when the Sox were down 3 games to -0 games, and they made history by coming back and winning 4 straight. I pretended to be worried until Damon hit the grand slam.
I will vote. It is my responsibility.
July 5, 2020 at 6:10 am
Love your comment “stupid is as stupid does”. That sums up this admin.
July 5, 2020 at 9:35 am
Bob’s indignation is shared by all of us.
July 4, 2020 at 3:04 pm
Happy 4th of July!
Christer.
July 4, 2020 at 8:29 pm
Thanks, Christer.
Have a wonderful vacation!
July 4, 2020 at 4:31 pm
This is my first Independence Day as an American citizen and I am spending it in splendid isolation. Mrs MDH s on the road to Denver riding with our son, wife and the baby.
I am heading to the chapel to see the new regime and the attempt to destroy our community
Meanwhile the Orange Imposter does not change his pattern and continues to spew vile rhetoric hatred and division.
To everyone at KTCC enjoy OUR day of Independence and celebration of the values that will be represented in November
July 4, 2020 at 8:37 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I love Independence Day, but this one was so very different. I missed all the hoopla, but I did spend the afternoon with my friends, and we barbecued hamburgers, all American hamburgers.
I hope your visit to the chapel was a wonderful surprise.
The Orange Imposter has only the one pattern. He has no idea yet what his focus will be in his second term moving forward. I’m hoping he won’t need one.
I spend the afternoon with friends who share the same political views I do.
July 5, 2020 at 11:02 am
The Chapel was as expected, a brutal display of exclusion
July 5, 2020 at 1:12 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I am so sorry.
July 4, 2020 at 4:33 pm
And Bob, what you said (except the baseball bit)
July 4, 2020 at 6:20 pm
Happy 4th of July and have a great day, dear Americans!
Please stay healthy, each one of you as well as your threatened country.
July 4, 2020 at 8:38 pm
Thanks, Birgit!
I have no words for what is happening to my country.