Independence Day 2025

John Adams on the 4th of July:

“It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

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This used to be one of my favorite days of the year, a celebration held near and dear to my heart.

Now it feel more like mourning a recently departed loved one.

Where did we go wrong?  I suspect there was no ‘one thing’, but a series of events unleashed over the last several decades.  Well, more than that – since at least 1913 – long before I (or my parents) were around.  And I know, regretfully, that I was complicit in some of our degradation due to my lack of understanding of how the world works and buying in to the many lies we’ve been sold by our so-called “leaders”.  For better or worse, my eyes have been pried wide open over the last decade and the rose colored glasses cast aside.  We are a nation in turmoil.  A runaway train bearing down on a blown out bridge, with the engineer asleep at the wheel.  I don’t exactly fear the future, but I am less than optimistic.

I used to think we could all be as one, a childish, impossible fantasy to be sure.  Our compassion and willingness to ignore the obvious has brought destruction and misery to our once great nation.  Unintended consequences are consequences  nonetheless, and ours are legion.

Sadly, the thing most absent in these United States these days is UNITY.

We’ve devolved back into tribalism.  Every tribe out for themselves at the expense of every other tribe.  That’s what ‘diversity’ has wrought upon us.  Diversity is NOT our strength, UNITY is our strength.  “A house divided…” and all that.  Americans can be all shapes, sizes, creeds and colors, but above ALL, they must believe in the promise that is America. Charlatans, usurpers and communists need not apply.

I still strongly believe that our country has the strongest, most spectacular foundation ever conceived.   Unfortunately the “home” built upon that foundation has been decimated by termites, wood bees, dry-rot and mold. 

I think the only way forward is to cut our losses, tear down the rotten, irredeemable structure- right down to the Foundation- and rebuild anew, with intense care taken to stop the termites, mold, etc. from taking hold ever again. 

I don’t know what my part in that is.  I don’t know if it will happen in my lifetime.  I just know that dramatic change is needed and it’s going to be painful in some ways.  Not everyone is going to make it.

I just hope that someday down the road, I’ll be able to actually CELEBRATE our Independence Day once again and leave our grandchildren a Home to be proud of.  I miss being a Proud American, and I know several others that feel the same way.  If I’m to never have it again, I at least hope for my progeny to experience it.

May God bless America!