The 4th of July has always been my favorite holiday, between the fireworks and summer picnics and baseball games (one of which I am going to today - the Mets have become my favorite team for a day, since they are playing the cursed Yankees). But for all of the trappings, we musn't forget the real reasons why today is a day for celebration.
We should celebrate because with the Declaration of Independence, we set in motion an experiment in a form of government that had never been tried before... and we've made it work for 228 years.
We should celebrate because our collective commitment to that form of government is so strong that even in a debacle like the 2000 election, with both sides believing the other was trying to steal the election, there wasn't a tank or a gun in sight - just opposing parties battling it out in court.
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. We should celebrate because Republicans have the freedom to call me a jerk for calling Bush and Cheney liars, without having gangs of thugs show up at their doors in the middle of the night. We should celebrate because there are a million different beliefs of what constitutes Americanism, and what the "right way" is. We should celebrate because every one of them is right, and every one of them is wrong.
We should celebrate because we have the right to turn the channel or change the station when we find programming we find objectionable - because despite recent evidence to the contrary, our government still respects our intelligence enough to allow us to make that choice. We should celebrate because, Fox "News"'s efforts notwithstanding, we don't have state-run news in this country, meaning that our citizens can learn for themselves what is happening in their country and in their world.
Article comments
1 - Shark
"....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.
2 - Shark
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."
3 - Al Barger
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.
4 - Christopher
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.
5 - sheri
Are you R. Christopher Barger?