Hell, instead of fireworks let's all take our guns out and fire them in the air like they do in the middle east. We can still have guns, right?

You might want to make sure they're loaded with blanks. I sometimes fire off black powder pistols without balls on the 4th. Much fun.

Dave

Hell, instead of fireworks let's all take our guns out and fire them in the air like they do in the middle east.

They do that here in Miami every holiday, and not with blanks, either.

People get killed by falling rounds fairly often.

Scares the crap out of me.

Dave,

Your article beautifully expresses the real significance of the day.

Thank you.

"Freedom is not free."

Indeed.

I'm not a fan of the "freedom is not free" cliche, but you have a good overall point--and if even one or two readers were moved to be more conscious of oil consumption or to pay closer attention to politics by virtue of your writing, that'd be a good result.

Good article, Dave. Happy 4th!

Yes, I know the article is loaded with cliches. That's the nature of the beast. I've got another 4th of July article, but I'm on the road and probably won't be able to post it until tomorrow.

Rather cool stuff. We went and saw a CAF B-17 bomber and I got some cool photos.

Dave

We went and saw a CAF B-17 bomber and I got some cool photos.

Dave, A CAF B17 used to be parked at SAT airport back in the early 90s, when I worked there--is that the one you saw?

There are supposedly 6 of them, but this one is called 'Sentimental Journey" and has a picture of Betty Grable on the side as well. Let me tell you, getting my 6'2" 250lb self through the various parts of the plane on our tour was no picnic.

BTW, did you know the CAF is now the 'commemorative' AF instead of the 'confederate' AF? News to me.

Dave

Nope, I didn't--when did that happen? I guess Confederate isn't PC enough these days.

Can't remember the name on the one in SAT, but don't think that was it. I DO remember thinking as I crawled through that it was no place for claustrophobics.

Fun stuff, tho.

The UnPC issue was how they explained it when I asked today. Not sure how long the change has been in place for. Another example of our society blanding down.

Dave

"Hell, instead of fireworks let's all take our guns out and fire them in the air like they do in the middle east.

They do that here in Miami every holiday, and not with blanks, either.

People get killed by falling rounds fairly often."

Redwood City, with a large mexican community, mostly illegal, used to have that problem, but the police installed an acoustic triangulation system that pinpoints discharged guns. Stopped it dead. Year 'round.

I don't see the problem so long as you aim your gun so the parabola ends on the house of a democrat.

I liked this very much. You hear a lot about remembering the true meaning of the holiday, but it was nifty to read one about the true meaning of 4th-of-July fireworks. "The rocket's red glare" indeed.

Well written piece, Dave. I might have appreciated it more if I were still selling whoppers in St. Paul instead of my writing here...

You were a candy salesman, Ruvy?

dave

save your love for the dancing shadows on the cave's walls...the abstract is a cold mistress

further - I reject the author's premiss: *we're never done spilling that blood and paying that price.*

'freedom' based on murder isn't freedom - it's solipsism

and change is possible...it's a matter of individual free choice

troll

Troll, who said anything about murder?

There are plenty of other circumstances under which blood can be spilled in the defense of liberty, and I was referring more to the blood of martyrs to the cause of liberty than anything else.

Dave

i've been slightly Wondering who the "we" is?

certainly those who think "patriotism" is putting yellow ribbon magnets on their cars don't count as "minutemen"?

but i digress

Excelsior?

I'm not sure the yellow ribbon magnets have anything to do with patriotism. That's a different agenda alltogether, I suspect.

As for who 'we' is, it's all of us who care enough to keep this Republic free. You can be part of that group or not as you choose.

Dave

Dave - I understood what you were saying about those bloody martyrs and was indicating the (inseparable) 'other side of the coin'

and my use of 'murder' was drama - the rejection of hairsplitting

troll

"As for who 'we' is, it's all of us who care enough to keep this Republic free. You can be part of that group or not as you choose."
- Dave Nalle

Oh, you mean the group who believes wars are won and the Republics freedom is preserved by typing hundreds of thousands of rhetorical words on a blogroll from the safety of their keyboard?

I'll choose to avoid that group.

No doubt we'd all be speaking with heavy British accents if the original minutemen were anything like the author, ie, choosing to avoid action by hiding out in their fenced compounds .

now now MCH...i give credit to those who follow the Paine example...

each does what they can

but i do tend to give more credence to those willing to Sacrifice...

that olde "my Life, my Fortune and my sacred Honor" bit holds more weight for me

but i'll not denigrate any who are willing to do more than just stick a magnet on their car and then bitch

your mileage may vary

Excelsior?

I'll choose to avoid that group.

Strange how you show up here again and again anyway, with nothing positive to contribute. Just providing a pointless distraction seems even more useless than trying to sway a few hearts and minds with 'hundreds of thousands of rhetorical words'.

dave

well, there does need to be some counterpoint to a few of the ideological opposites who do the same, but without the core message that MCH hammers on

and i know you know the ones i mean

Excelsior?

With Anthony Grande more or less gone we've got a lot less of that going on from the right. Most of those who remain at least attempt to make rational arguments, unsuccessful though some of them are.

Dave

well..i can think of Just One Example...

but i digress

for the most part, the discussions have been pretty good, and we seem to be generating a core from all sides who are willing to sit and not only talk rationally, but listen

and to me, that is a damn fine Victory, and shows just how far BC has come

it also gives me some Hope for our Republic if we can come so far in microcosm

and thanks for the Article...truly

Excelsior?

"I don't see the problem so long as you aim your gun so the parabola ends on the house of a democrat."

LOL. I completely second this sentiment, but only the Dean-Hillary-Kerry component.

I have no problem with Democrats who take their lead from Zell Miller or Joe Lieberman. Leave them be.

so shooting at those you disagree with is OK by you?

interesting style of politics...i am guessing you learned it from Castro?

Excelsior?

Gonzo, do you get satire? Or are you in serious mode? (I know what I said about being serious all the time, but I was poking fun here. Honestly.)

I have no problem with Democrats who take their lead from Zell Miller or Joe Lieberman.

I kind of like Miller, but frankly Leiberman's a creepy statist who I'd like to see permanently retired even if it puts another new england socialist in the seat.

Dave

/sigh

suggesting you "learned it from Castro", you being the stick up the ass far right wing fascist you are Mark..IS satire...

i Agree with you, Dave about Lieberman...i also think he cost Gore the election in 2000...as far as Miller goes, he should have jumped to the GOP 25 years ago, or at least doen the head exploding scanners thing that night at the GOP convention when he wanted to challenge Matthews to a duel..

THAT woudl have been great TV, and the highpoint of Miller's kooky carreer

Excelsior?

You've got to admit that when he gets up a head of steam Miller is a hell of a lot of fun. And if you've read his book he's actually dead on about the decline of the democratic party, though I'm not sure he ever should have been in the party in the first place.

Dave

i must disagree there...i think MIller is a fruitbat of the highest order...and yes, he should have gone GOP ages ago...like when he first took office after the civil war...

but i digress

Excelsior?

Have you read his book, gonzo? He's actually got some real insights into how and where the democrats lost their way.

Dave

i have read some...promptly threw up and then had some nice laughs...

not worth my time finishing it, since i think the man is mentally deranged on many levels

i agree, he makes a decent point on occasions...

but even a broken clock is right twice a day

Excelsior?

Damn, I was going to use that line about a broken clock but I forgot to.

Dave