So exactly what are we celebrating? The birth of a land, a country, where people could breathe, could plan and hope for a future, had access to education for their children, were able to break class barriers, where we welcomed the needy, the "tempest tossed" to our shores asnd set about helping them make a better life for themselves and for the country as a whole. These immigrants built the country, each in turn, as the waves of immigration came. They became our scientists,our politicians, our police, our teachers, our financiers, whatever profession grew - it was and is because of acceptance and recognition of the contributions of immigration to our country.
Sure, our country often took a wrong turn. We railed against immigrants from countries that were different, such as eastern Europe or Italy, or Asian countries. We allowed bias to rule at times, citing faulty genetic motifs, allowing Jim Crow laws, and even allowing slavery and indentured servants, not much different than a slave. But we also always faced our flaws, always had people working to fix them, alleviate the woes and unfairness of them.
We outgrew the notion that having and displaying military forces was the only way to stand tall in this world. We learned that there were many other issues to lead the world, to fix that which needed mending. But now, now we have returned to a dark time, when a man thinks he can do what he wishes, a dictator in his own mind and unfortunately in the minds of deluded others, and now on a day meant for fun, for music, for cheers, we have a Demented Toddler who is stealing the day. He is stuffing the audience count by giving out thousands of tickets so that his audience size will be large - you know him and his fixation on size!
This is the opposite of what the celebration in DC has been for so many years. There were no VIP tickets given out to stuff the box. The VIPs were those who had served the country, paid a dear price, and all were welcomed, soldiers and civilians mixing, singing songs, waving flags, oohing and ahhing at the fireworks, but today - well, today, I sincerely hope it rains on his parade!!! In every which way.
How dare he disrespect the Lincoln Memorial, the site of the Rev. King's iconic speech. How dare he impound the Mall for his ridiculous and childish military toys - boys and their toys, yes, but he is supposed to be a man, and this on the day when Russia formallyleaves the Nuclear Treaty!
His supposed patriotic speech will turn into yet another rally of hate and bigotry. He will point out how great he is - NOT!!! - and altogether destroy the day, along with the red hats that signify those attitudes and a lack of understanding and acceptance of truth.
So what is America and what is the Fourth? Time to take an evaluation and I am hoping that the words of one who stands up for her patriotism, who knows what America is and should be, who displays her patriotism by wearing the shirt of a national USA team and gets out there on the field, whilst the bone spur man plays with our lives!
“I would have them look hard into what I’m actually saying and the actions that I’m doing,” Rapinoe said. “Maybe you don’t agree with every single way that I do it, and that can be discussed. I know that I’m not perfect,” Rapinoe added. “I think I stand for honesty and for truth and for wanting to have the conversation -- and for looking at the country honestly and saying that, yes, we are a great country and there’s many things that are so amazing, and I feel very fortunate to be in this country. I’d never be able to do this in a lot of other places.
“But also, that doesn’t mean that we can’t get better. And that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t always strive to be better,” she said. “This country was founded on a lot of great ideals, but it was also founded on slavery. I think we just need to be really honest about that and be really open in talking about that so we can reconcile that and hopefully move forward and make this country better for everyone.”
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