On the theory that nice, round numbers are significant, today's Independence Day anniversary would seem to be a big one. The American experiment has been underway for 250 years.
I know all of us are old enough to recall the 200th anniversary, in 1976. I was a teenager at that time, so I don't claim to have had a long, mature perspective then; but that anniversary felt bigger - it felt as though the country as a whole was celebrating it more than what I'm feeling today on the 250th.
I visited my folks yesterday. They were children during WWII. They are as patriotic as they come, although not usually in an overt, loud, annoying way. I don't think the 250th anniversary came up once during our visit. People aren't really going out of their way to mark the occasion. Or so it seems to me.
We've had a typical Fourth of July celebration today: we went to our town's parade in the morning. I'm writing this after spending the last 90 or so minutes doing food preparation: boiling potatoes and eggs for potato salad, preparing and baking a baked bean casserole in the oven, and assembling a raspberry pie which will go into the oven while we eat our dinner (bbq ribs, prepared by my wife). We'll have three of the kids over. This is pretty much what we do every year.
I told my wife that I'd endeavor to say positive things about our country today - a pledge I intend to keep in this post. So from time to time today, I've been trying to appreciate good things about our country. There is a lot to appreciate.
Are you marking this anniversary in any particular way?
We listened to NPR reading the Declaration like we do every year. I enjoyed teaching it in American lit. It's still worth reading as a caution against the tyrannies that the colonists found unbearable.
ReplyDeleteI put out the flag. Raber is proud of his service in the Navy, which was largely a series of NATO exercises in which there were on-ship exchange programs. The Brit sailors hosted a vicars-and-tarts party for the Americans. The German sing-along was popular because there was beer. Those days of international cooperation seem about to end.
The Boy texted photos from Portland of him and his GF in the downtown park where they are meeting up with friends.
I continued reading Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna. Big sweeping historical novel in the vein of John Dos Passos and EL Doctorow. I appreciate American literature more now than I used to.
Took a nap, an increasingly frequent occurrence.
Raber is off to get some ice cream at the party store.
Will watch an American classic movie. Maybe Elmer Gantry starring Burt Lancaster and his big teeth.
Well, we are definitely not going downtown. Let the MAGAs have it. I’m guessing relatively few locals will go. It’s normally a fun family thing. But this year people have to negotiate an armed gauntlet. Plus everything has been trashed by their Dear Leader and they will be miserable again in the 102 f heat. There are seven people from the “ Great American State Fair” ( it’s been a total bust basically ) in intensive care at a local hospital after suffering heat stroke . 44 people were taken to local hospitals). It’s cooled off a bit now (95F.) Feels like 103. Some reading about the misery trump has brought to our city. in the next comment if I can get the links to work. Two articles from The Atlantic.
ReplyDelete.We are celebrating only one thing today - a grandson’s 7th birthday. Happily for him and our son and his wife and children they are in Kazimierz Dolby Poland, far, far away from the horror show in DC. The following is a Letter to the Editor that pretty well expresses our feelings this sad 4 th of July.
“ Even before being sworn into office, President Trump was given a golden opportunity to rally the country, and indeed the world, around the 250th anniversary of the nation’s birth.
This should have been a gimme. It was already on the calendar, a singularly and naturally unifying moment to showcase American achievement, recommit to mending our flaws and reaffirm our belief in the aspirations and ideals of the founders’ dreams.
How, though, does a president lead a celebration of what he’s worked so hard to destroy? A president who mocks the conviction that all are created equal, systematically ending the careers of devoted military officers who happen to be Black or female. A president who assaults our unalienable rights to free speech, assembly and a free press. A president who betrays the foundation of government by the consent of the governed by trying to deny millions of Americans a vote.
And so, instead of a collective tribute to all we cherish and strive for, we get a human cage fight on the South Lawn of the White House. A vanity rally on the National Mall. The East Wing in rubble, the Kennedy Center in a tarp and algae creeping across the face of a Reflecting Pool that mirrors only the corruption and ineptitude of a failed and fraudulent presidency rent by reckless and useless war.
Two hundred and fifty years later, the Declaration of Independence doesn’t cry out to be celebrated so much as it demands to be defended. That’s our call, as patriots. That’s our charge, as American people. On this Fourth of July, and always.”
Trump has transformed D.C. into a dirty construction site, @MViser reports. He explores what awaits those who come to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
DeleteThis year’s July 4 fireworks show on the National Mall will have the kind of security usually reserved for presidential inaugurations and Super Bowls, Nick Miroff, Sarah Fitzpatrick, and Shane Harris report.
I used to know how to delete my comments but now I can’t figure it out. The links didn’t work. as expected. Trying again.
Deletehttps://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/07/national-mall-construction-trump/687761/?gift=kkpyZo6Iz9qinVq1FSu1hqbLSeH08StqVuFbhz10yfA&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/07/washington-security-america-250-trump-fireworks/687780/?gift=kkpyZo6Iz9qinVq1FSu1hgN5MLpz5C-pou1ujyYWB6U&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
We may watch 1776 again. A serious but lighthearted musical.we have the DVD.
ReplyDeleteI had to go to the grocery store today, about 3 miles each way. Driving there tthrough our own neighborhood and through others I was struck by the absence of flags. We didn’t pit ours out as we once did (my husband was 6 years in Marine Reserves) but we are not the only ones. Our neighbors used to also, most of them. I saw 4 flags total - including one neighbor who is in the Air Force ( transferred to the Pentagon two years ago), a diehard Republican couple we’ve known for 53 years, and two others on houses with people we don’t know. O e more neighbor up the street - they are immigrants. They came here as kids, both sets of parents worked at the World Bank, they met in high school and bonded over both being World Bank kids. I didn’t see even one in the other neighborhoods I drove through and nothing decorated at the local shops.
This used to be the day when my dad's side of the family had a big family reunion. Everyone brought food. That was when we all lived in the same county, and the great-aunts and uncles put it on. Now all those people are gone. Most of their children are gone too. I'm just about the oldest one left. Everyone has scattered to the four winds. Our younger son's family are doing a trip in the Black Hills. Older son and daughter in law are at the in-laws.:
ReplyDeleteWe are hanging out at home (well mostly, Kelly is assisting at the 5:00 Mass as we speak). I practiced my accompaniment for America the Beautiful, exit hymn for tomorrow's 11:00 am Mass.
I think o the family members who are gone. But I am fine with not cooking a big meal today. We are doing a family thing in Omaha in a couple of weeks, the guys are planning to go to a Storm-Chaser's game, along with the 12 year old granddaughter, who is a baseball player and a fan.
Not that many flags out, but the fireworks stands did a thriving business. Everyone was blowing up heavy ordnance until late last night. I went for a walk this morning while it was still cool, and the remains were all over. The dogs and cats will be happier tonight!
ReplyDeleteI remember from the 200th celebration, seeing the "tall ships" on tv. That was cool. I guess they are doing that again, I'll have to see if I can find that on tv.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, we went with our son and his family to Baltimore for Sail250 last weekend. It reminded me of the good old days of celebrating America (pre- trump) The Great American State Fair on the Mall was deserted but Sail250 was jam packed. It was a lot of fun. Besides the Tall Ships there were the usual attractions including live music. The Tall Ships were there and there were Blue Angels flyovers that made all the kids put their fingers in their ears. Very loud but always amazing to watch. The Tall Ships were there but had very long lines to be able to board and look around. It was a very enjoyable festival. Now they are in New York.
Deletehttps://www.sail250md.org/
For the bicentennial, I saw the Tall Ships when they went to Toronto. They had a race from Toronto to Rochester.
DeleteI had planned to watch them leave the harbor from Toronto's island. However, one of the large yachts that gives tours of Toronto Harber was doing the filming of the event for Canadian TV. For just $30 I got to get on board and follow the tall ships as they left the harbor. They came right up to each one alerting the crews that they were filming and telling them to maintain course. Much better seat that even Prince Charles who I think reviewed the ships as they left harbor, or Vance this time!
Truely the opportunity of a lifetime.
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ReplyDeleteNot much going on around here. There is a fireworks display at Fairport Harbor this evening. It may have competition from rain and thunderstorms. We will tune into the Lake County Metroparks cameras that monitor that area just as we do every evening for sunsets.
ReplyDeleteGenerally speaking, my family had always celebrated Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day as family holidays by staying home on the Monongahela River rather than going to our cabin at Pymatuning Lake with all the traffic. We would just take lawn chairs down to the riverbank and watch all the yachts that went up and down the river.
During the summers there was always a parade day for our town with firetrucks from around the county and some high school bands as highlight of a carnival week to raise money for our volunteer fire department. It was the main organization for the town. Had a very large hall that did bingos, weddings, and high school dances. My uncle was fire chief for a long while, and when he was still working my dad drove the fire truck. Mom however was a very stay-at-home person, so we did not spend much time at the firehall. Once dad retired most of our life centered around the cabin.