Happy 246th Birthday U.S.A. !
Celebrating our nation's Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776
Yankee Doodle (1991 Remastered)
The Robert Shaw Chorale -- Traditional Battle Cry of Freedom
Our nation's founding fathers subsequently wrote a constitution giving us a republic ... "if you can keep it" Thomas Jefferson said.
Threats from outside our country have been combatted but perhaps none like the assault from within such as our current one involving our most recent ex-president. We must be aware of what we are facing so that we can optimistically confront and overcome this threat to our freedom and independence.
Dangerous, frightening, challenging are only a few of the words I might use to describe these history-making years. Efforts to convert our form of government to an autocracy appear to be that former president's undertaking. He has proven his words cannot be trusted when he speaks of saving democracy, believing in law and order since his actions are just the opposite.
His political party and most of their senators and house representatives appear to support him given their public stance. Only a few of their number have had the courage to publicly oppose that ex-president.
Even our Supreme Court has made court rulings jeopardizing our system including some years ago when a ruling allowed contributions of what has become excessive amounts of corrupting funds to begin unduly influencing our political campaigns.
Most recently a newer combination of SCOTUS judges appear to be making rulings based more on political ideology using warped constitutional interpretations.
They have taken away a woman's right to control her own body's health with a ruling that may even threaten other individual rights. Gun rights have been expanded endangering citizens even more. The separation of church and state has been undermined which is most counter to our constitution. Environmental health protections have been weakened with other adverse rulings possibly in the offing.
Election systems throughout our country are in danger of being corrupted by this ex-president and his supporters. Their efforts to suppress voting continues in selected states to acquire power by any means, legal or otherwise persists. Lies and false conspiracy theories continue to be spread by our ex-president and his supporters.
An attempt to prevent a peaceful transfer of Presidential power occurred in a seditious act January 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol. Currently, the U.S. House Committee on January 6th is conducting hearings on that insurrection to establish how it occurred and who was involved. Our Attorney General's office will determine if the facts reveal accountability for what appears to have been a coup effort.
Much testimony suggests the ex-president demands individual allegiance to him over all else. This is contrary to government officials' oath being first and foremost to the U.S. constitution. Morality and ethical behavior appear to be mostly lacking in those previous administration officials. Many refuse to testify under oath to the committee.
Given all these circumstances, my thoughts move along the full spectrum of positive to negative views then back again to our nation's future as events unfold. I am determined to believe our nation's democratic republic grand experiment will overcome this threat from within to which we are being subjected.
Democracy is fragile. We the people have the power to keep this independence for which many died those many years ago and in subsequent years. Our elections will be critical.
I realize most if not all reading here likely recognize all that I've written. I refuse to be discouraged and hope you will not be either. This coming patriotic holiday simply arouses thoughts and feelings in me I feel compelled to express. I am optimistic that truth and real justice will prevail however long is required.
Happy Fourth of July to one and all !
Congratulations. We will celebrate our 75th Independence day on August 15, 2022.
ReplyDeleteIndia is a young country, too, -- much more youthful than the U.S.
DeleteA big AMEN. You have spoken the truth, exposed our fears, and warned us of what could come if we are not vigilant. We do out number them but unless we get off our couches and vote, that right can also be taken from us.
ReplyDeleteWhen I review all the items concerning our country, and there are more, such as the disparity of incomes, probably our federal debt no one is talking about now, our health care system inadequacies, failures to address our Social Security system financing issues to name just a few, this can all seem overwhelming, We must get people in our legislative branch, Senators and Representatives, who will resolve these issues which is what we elect them to do, so must get the obstructionist dead woods out of those offices.
DeleteIt's hard for me to be a proud American right now. Thanks for the reminder that I need to have faith that we'll get through all the crazy stuff going on now.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is much we cannot be proud of as Americans right now. This is how it looks to me -- those of us who believe in our form of government are needed to improve, protect and preserve our democracy now more than ever and to keep striving to fulfill its promise. I think we forget progress is generally achieved in steps forward in addition to some backward as we press to resume moving forward again. Changing to an autocratic form of government as we see this recent coup attempt trying to foment is certainly not a step forward. Also, in the scheme of the world we are a young country with lots of growing pains as history shows us when we examine past civilizations, forms of government..
DeleteIt is scary to remember how these hooligans tried to upset the orderly transfer of power. Trump is so immature. Hope he doesn't get reelected. Gigi hawaii
ReplyDeleteIdeally he and his objectives will cease to be a force in this nation.
DeleteI'm not feeling very celebratory nor proud about this nation in 2022. In Ohio especially, thanks to ruthless gerrymandering, my voice is silenced at the ballot box. The hard right has infiltrated every sector of state government. We voted to eliminate gerrymandering, but nothing was done to make fairer maps despite several legal challenges. I feel like it's a zero-sum game sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI read about what has been occurring in Ohio and breaks my heart for citizens of that great state. I can appreciate how you feel.
DeleteSo many Usian woman of my acquaintance are taking a stand and refusing to celebrate this year. Why celebrate your stolen rights? And ERA still not ratified. It's a disaster at the moment, and today Ohio has a massacre. I sympathize totally Joared, the enemy has always been within and needs to be eviscerated.
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WWW
Seems it's a never-ending fight. And now I hear on the news of a massacre near Chicago in Illinois. I would certainly welcome a few calm years in the final decade(s) of my life but guess that is not to be. Seems our work is cut out for us to do more of what we can to better the world for our loved ones coming after us.
Delete“If you can keep it” indeed.
ReplyDeleteWe folks from across the Pacific watch in trepidation, and we shake our heads, at what’s occurring in your country.
Really incredible, isn't it! I never could have imagined our nation to be so challenged from within. We seemed to be making some progress in select areas, I thought our energies would focus on serious social-economic equalization issues. Now we're trying to save our constitutional democratic republic -- democracy shared with other nations around the world.
DeleteI remember how discouraged I was after the 1972 election, the first election in which I was old enough to vote, absolutely sure that there were enough of us young people to defeat Richard Nixon and then realizing with absolute dismay that was not so. Two years later, Nixon was exposed as the crook he denied being and he resigned. The Republican Party has been hijacked, has hijacked the Supreme Court now, and is attempting to hijack the United States. I see the Republican Party digging their own grave, like Nixon did. We've seen something like this scenario before. I remain hopeful. Sad, yes, but not discouraged.
ReplyDeleteWe must keep striving to preserve our nation, so am glad you remain hopeful.
DeleteI am afraid that I am unable to share your optimism. I think the requiem for America is being played as we speak. Most of us who live outside the United States don't even recognize the country any more.
ReplyDeleteI hardly recognize my own country presently, but don't underestimate the strength of the majority of our citizens who are determined to regain and preserve our freedoms -- however long it takes.
DeleteDear Joared, thank you for this succinct appraisal of what is happening in the United States. My parents are long dead, but should they return, as Rip Van Winkle did, they would be, I think, shocked, saddened, outraged, and angry with what has happened.
ReplyDeleteThe ex-president came at the end of several decades of maneuvering by one party that has been unable to win the popular vote to stay in power and so chooses the road not taken before to destroy our democracy. The ex-president saw the lay of the land, gathered the backbones of his chosen party, and then took advantage of the fear and anger that had risen in our country during those decades.
It seems to me that we are witnessing the story told by J. K. Rowling: We have Hogwarts, Voldemort, Death Eaters, and a great battle going on for the would of the school/country.
Like you, I take hope in the spirit that resides in so many Americans who have fought the good fight and learned from mistakes and wanted a country of good will for ALL who live here or come here. Peace.
I think most now deceased Americans would find it hard to believe the betrayal of our country brought about by a shameless ex-president and others who have violated their oaths.
DeleteDear Joared, I'm unable/inept at figuring out how to use the Google account and so my comments come up as "Anonymous." I'm the one who wrote the comment about Harry Potter's world. Dee Ready.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding a name so I know from whom the comment comes. I've had to give up using my Google account on primarily WordPress websites which I resent so appreciate how you feel. Just use Anon here and add your name or website link if you like as I welcome readers being able to easily visit the websites of any who comment here as has been possible until most recently. Whatever coding change Google or whoever has made has served to weaken blogging.
Delete"Democracy is fragile". Indeed it is. We have to keep protecting our legal freedoms or they can all too easily and rapidly be undermined by those who regard democracy as some kind of communist plot.
ReplyDeleteI fear there may be too many people who take our democracy for granted, assume we can easily get it back if lost.
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