HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Published July 04, 2004
We should celebrate because across the country today, from the inner cities of the East coast, to the farm town main streets of the Midwest, to the beaches of California... our fellow Americans will get together, will enjoy a summer's day and fireworks and barbecue and watermelon and corn on the cob... and will not have to think once about how remarkable this experiment has been... and we should celebrate because many will think about it anyway.
We should celebrate because in America, love of country does not mean the simple parroting of the ruling party's platform or mantra... because dissent and opposition are proud traditions in America, and are in fact in some cases the greatest show of love of the ideals upon which the nation was based.
We should celebrate because this Sunday morning (or Saturday evening, or Friday), millions of Americans worshipped the God of their choice, in the manner they saw fit... and because both the government and I have to respect that. We should celebrate because this Sunday morning - like fifteen years of Sunday mornings before it - I chose not to attend church at all... and because both the government and the churchgoers have to respect that.
Because we have the ability to feed ourselves, because we've built an economic machine the likes of which the world has never seen, and because we give more to charity than any nation on earth.
Because of Mary-Kate and Ashley; where else in the world can 18 year-olds become billionaires?
Because little kids still learn the words to "America the Beautiful." Because they still learn the words to "We Shall Overcome."
We should celebrate because in this country, a kid from a working class family can get an advanced education and use his talents to get jobs and salaries that his ancestors only dreamed of - and that will seem miniscule to his descendants. And because his story is not at all unique - in fact, it's been repeated for generations by other Americans, and will be repeated again for generations to come.
There are now other democratic nations in the world where this is possible, but America was first. Without the experiment than began 228 years ago today, all of our opportunities and freedoms would not exist - in America or anywhere in the world. That alone is worth a decade's worth of fireworks.
Happy Birthday, America. And many more.
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY
- Published: July 04, 2004
- Type:
- Section: Politics
- Writer: Christopher Barger
- Christopher Barger's BC Writer page
- Christopher Barger's personal site
- Spread the Word
- Like this article?
- Email this
Save to del.icio.us
Comments on this articleComments
Also note:
A 'liberal' takes time to write a heartfelt, articulate piece honoring America's great virtues -- especially tolerance.
Our resident reactionary 'conservative' spends a morning writing a hateful diatribe against the true 'specter' and enemy of the American Experiment, "The Liberals".
That's why the 'liberals' will always 'lose' in this country; they're dedicated to peace, love, and flowers -- and the Right is... well.. always Right -- and addicted to "Might."
Alright Chris, I'm officially striking your name off the "treason" list that I'm compiling for Ashcroft and Ann Coulter.
A nice display of patriotism like this gets you pretty much license. I hereby give you official permission and blessing to continue your regular pinko writing.
Oh, Shark, your story of the nice liberals and mean, old hateful conservatives really warms my heart.
Did you get any of that on ya? Hope you had some Kleenex.
Al - thanks for your license and permission. In return, and in the spirit of the holiday, I hereby give you official permission and blessing to continue your regular right-wing conspiracy writing. ;-) Hope your 4th was safe and happy.
Shark - don't forget, Joe McCarthy and George Lincoln Rockwell thought they were patriots too. There's plenty of room for respectful disagreement in this country... a lesson folks on my side would do as well to remember as intolerant folks like the guy you cited. (I won't be dignifying his post by reading it.)
And as for the self-described "patriots" who consider me the enemy for being liberal ... it's funny how they always like to say that liberals hate America - since they hate Americans so much. I wonder if the irony escapes them?
I hope your 4th was also safe and happy.
Are you R. Christopher Barger?
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/17106)
"....We should celebrate because I have the freedom to call George W. Bush and Dick Cheney lying traitors, in writing and in public, without having the army show up at my door in the middle of the night."
Ah, but the day is young...
BTW: Visit Mark Manning's "Early morning July 5 musings (Happy Birthday, America!)" and get acquainted with a fellow American who sees you as one of The Enemy.
Nothing like a "patriotic" birthday celebration to inspire insipid attacks against the dreaded "Liberals".
His "best line": "...We stand tall and firm and bow to no-one. This is the American way. If some want to equate that with violence and imperialism, so be it..."
John Wayne died for your sins.
feh.