Here’s an open thread for July 4th! For all the agenda-driven fear-mongering we’ve seen lately, and all the witless, empty hyperbole about an evil empire that spies on the whole world, I submit to you that the US is still a pretty good place that gets more stuff right than we get wrong.
Happy Fourth! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.
1 |
Charles Johnson Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:35:08am |
Meanwhile:
RT @MsEntropy: I did not realize so many Americans thought the #USA was 2013 years old. pic.twitter.com/NwXUWbwvEj via @i0n1c— Michael James (@alephnaught) July 4, 2013
2 |
A Mom Anon Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:41:24am |
re: #1 Charles Johnson
Happy Birthday America. Sigh. So we’re the same age as the Baby Jesus then? Good to know. So like, 1776 has no meaning at all in our history then?
I’d like to know how many of these fine patriots would be able to pass the Citizenship Test, or for that matter a middle school US History test?
I haz a sad widdle headache now.
3 |
AlexRogan Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:41:32am |
4 |
Targetpractice Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:41:38am |
re: #1 Charles Johnson
Meanwhile:
[Embedded content]
What, you didn’t know that Jesus was an American citizen?
///
5 |
jaunte Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:43:05am |
Not sure if that fits with young earth or old earth creationism.
| 6 |
jaunte Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:44:32am |
Just a reminder for those of you attending July 4th celebrations: if your host starts playing The Rains of Castamere, it's time to go home.
— TBogg (@tbogg) July 4, 2013
7 |
Fear the Blah People Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:46:57am |
On this day in 1964, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act http://t.co/klvf8YnzW4
— ABC News (@ABC) July 2, 2013
8 |
HappyWarrior Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:47:58am |
re: #7 Stanghazi
[Embedded content]
A fitting week to do it and that’s why I’ll defend LBJ gladly warts and dick showings and all.
| 9 |
Fear the Blah People Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:48:28am |
Statue of Liberty Circa 1886 #4thofJuly pic.twitter.com/RMVcYxZxye Did it ever occur to you that the Statue of Liberty, wasn’t always green?
— Jeff Gauvin (@JeffersonObama) July 4, 2013
I just watched the Ken Burns doc - Liberty on PBS. Excellent.
| 10 |
Fear the Blah People Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:49:14am |
11 |
austin_blue Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:50:39am |
A lovely, haunting, cello version of then Anthem by Zoe Keating (third tune down):
| 13 |
HappyWarrior Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:51:13am |
re: #9 Stanghazi
[Embedded content]
I just watched the Ken Burns doc - Liberty on PBS. Excellent.
I actually never knew. Anyhow, gets me thinking but one of my favorite movie scenes ever is the Ellis Island scene in Godfather Part II. I always imagine my immigrant ancestors at Ellis filled with hopes and dreams, speaking little to no English, and not knowing what the future will bring.
14 |
abolitionist Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:53:38am |
15 |
Romantic Heretic Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:56:38am |
Happy Independence Day to my American friends.
| 16 |
Charles Johnson Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:59:29am |
re: #1 Charles Johnson
Checked a few of those Twitter users’ timelines and it’s obvious they were being snarky. There are a few idiots who really think this, but most of ‘em are kidding.
17 |
Political Atheist Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:59:52am |
Indeed Charles,
A happy Independence Day to you as well.
How many nations lack real elections? Any protection of speech and political discourse? Regular (if delayed or uneven) expansion of civil rights? We have our Patriot Act but we also have the 1st Amendment and no Official Secrets Act. Point is we can argue the laws with impunity. That right there is arguably our finest core principle.
My lack of party affiliation has zero negative consequence in my career or personal life. That’s pretty cool and really telling about how things work here.
| 18 |
austin_blue Thu, Jul 4, 2013 10:59:57am |
re: #15 Romantic Heretic
Happy Independence Day to my American friends.
And belated Happy Canada Day!
| 21 |
Ming Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:03:22am |
Yes, I very much agree with what Charles says, “I submit to you that the US is still a pretty good place that gets more stuff right than we get wrong.”
The book “The Audacity of Hope” is a great reminder of what an amazing country the USA is, from sea to shining sea. The book seems to cover just about everything: our people, our diversity, our politics, our various organizations (religious, governmental, corporate) and how they interact. The chapter titled “The Constitution” is one of my favorites.
Really, the book is like a love letter to America, as future generations will no doubt realize.
Even heading into the 21st century, with incredible CHANGE on the horizon, the USA remains a very special place.
| 22 |
Ian G. Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:05:09am |
I’ll let Ray Charles say it for me:
“America the Beautiful” really is the best patriotic hymn. It’s not militaristic like “The Star-Spangled Banner”, and it spends a lot of time telling America that she isn’t perfect, and needs to keep working towards perfection.
24 |
thecommodore Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:17:10am |
re: #21 Ming
Yes, I very much agree with what Charles says, “I submit to you that the US is still a pretty good place that gets more stuff right than we get wrong.”
The book “The Audacity of Hope” is a great reminder of what an amazing country the USA is, from sea to shining sea. The book seems to cover just about everything: our people, our diversity, our politics, our various organizations (religious, governmental, corporate) and how they interact. The chapter titled “The Constitution” is one of my favorites.
Really, the book is like a love letter to America, as future generations will no doubt realize.
Even heading into the 21st century, with incredible CHANGE on the horizon, the USA remains a very special place.
Yeah, but that’s also the book where Obama talks about always standing with the MUSLIMS because, of course, he is one.
///
27 |
StephenMeansMe Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:23:37am |
Meanwhile, you’d think the world was coming to the end on Drudge Report. But isn’t it always?
| 28 |
b.d. Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:26:15am |
Is it possible to love America and also find Gary Sinise extremely annoying? If so, then I’m in.
| 29 |
Targetpractice Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:28:48am |
re: #27 StephenMeansMe
Meanwhile, you’d think the world was coming to the end on Drudge Report. But isn’t it always?
You know how it goes. World is coming to an end until a Republican is elected, the America is the world’s greatest country and liberals are unpatriotic for thinking America has problems.
| 30 |
Political Atheist Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:29:27am |
Dateline Los Angeles-
KTTV & most local news announces anti terror drill by Homeland security including the who, where and whens. But at INFOWARS it’s a top secret drill. Much hand wringing over bag searches at metro links. KTTV is sycophantic. Right. Like Boston never happened. It’s those deer accidents we need to worry about.
*groan*
31 |
Tigger2005 Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:30:47am |
I can’t stand people who think the USA can do no wrong (usually they claim to love this country, but hate everyone in it who doesn’t look like them or share their religion, and understand nothing about history, science, the Enlightenment or church/state separation). But I also can’t stand people who talk like the USA is the worst most evil country in the history of the world. Despite our dismal treatment of the Native Americans and former African slaves, even they saw that Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan were much, much worse. The USA is a country that often fails to live up to its highest ideals…but that’s better than living in a country that IS living up to its highest ideals, when those ideals are things like racial and ideological purity and the glorification of militarism and uniformity and the subjugation of the individual.
| 32 |
Targetpractice Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:31:45am |
re: #30 Political Atheist
Dateline Los Angeles-
KTTV & most local news announces anti terror drill by Homeland security including the who, where and whens. But at INFOWARS it’s a top secret drill. Much hand wringing over bag searches at metro links. KTTV is sycophantic. Right. Like Boston never happened. It’s those deer accidents we need to worry about.*groan*
We’re a reactive rather than proactive nation. We spend every stretch between terrorist attacks wringing our hands and worrying that the government is overreaching and destroying our rights, then the first hours and days after an attack whining that the government wasn’t going “far enough.”
33 |
erik_t Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:32:27am |
re: #32 Targetpractice
We’re a reactive rather than proactive
nationspecies.
Edited for generality.
| 34 |
Fear the Blah People Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:32:53am |
Don McLean - American Pie “Live @ Glastonbury” 2011
Worth it to get through the Beyonce commercial first.
35 |
Capitalist Tool Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:37:39am |
During our 4th of July celebration today, may the true meaning of freedom resonate with all men and women within our nation who will live free, with God given liberty as our birthright.
What is freedom? Freedom means that are free to, or rather, we have the right to live out the consequences of our own thoughts and actions.
By delineating our freedoms within the framework of the constitution, our Founding Fathers attempted to codify the Laws of Karma, or in Christian teachings- the “Law of Sow and Reap”- The Golden Rule.
“Do unto others as you would have done unto you”(because it will be done unto you.)
| 36 |
Capitalist Tool Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:38:05am |
Happy 4th everyone…
I’m off to the picnic!
38 |
engineer cat Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:48:48am |
uncountable romans
had already parsed and conjugated
innumerable dreams of order and justice
lost to the wandering hearts of men
and the cruelty of the craters of the moon
before we ever thought
to try our childishly hopeful project
which clearly can never have lasted
as long as it has
Happy Independence Day 2013!
39 |
Blue Point Thu, Jul 4, 2013 11:56:38am |
Happy Independence Day to one and all. We are not perfect, nor will we ever be, but we are more often than not a bright light in a dark world. May the true ideals of this Great Experiment grow stronger and not perish and may we see our potential for not only good, but greatness come to fruition.
| 40 |
Timothy Watson Thu, Jul 4, 2013 1:32:31pm |
re: #27 StephenMeansMe
Bastard, can’t believe I let you bait me into looking at Drudge.
42 |
teleskiguy Thu, Jul 4, 2013 2:59:25pm |
Happy Birthday, America! http://t.co/CvQik8GKvZ— daveweigel (@daveweigel) July 4, 2013
43 |
TeekeeMon Thu, Jul 4, 2013 5:43:33pm |
Great day in Orlando… awesome turnout.
Feels good get a little pushback on onerous Patriot Act violations of the 4th Amendment…
‘Restore The 4th’ galvanizes over 100 nation-wide protests against NSA, PRISM, and government spying bit.ly
| 44 |
Charles Johnson Thu, Jul 4, 2013 5:52:19pm |
re: #43 TeekeeMon
I’ll surprise you by saying I support bringing more attention to the Patriot Act, which sucks, and also support more transparency about what kind of data the government collects from us, even if the purpose is to protect us from terrorist plots like the one that killed and maimed countless people in Boston a few short weeks ago.
This is what we call a “dead thread” at LGF, by the way. You’ll find more people to engage with on one of the current posts, if that’s what you want.
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