I thought about Nikki when I was considering this topic. Sure enough, she's got a detailed (re-)post that kinda touches on this.
Anyway, to me, yes, the 4th fo July DOES mean something. Independence Day doesn't mean much, to me, though.
Kinda odd, huh?
The former represents the family reunions and other (mostly) positive memories from this around this time of bygone years.
The latter, when it doesn't remind me of Will Smith, makes me think about America's great reach, but weak grasp. I've got a problem with the hypocritical patriotic I imagine praising America's bloody fight for freedom, rights, and independence, while over-looking how this country treated its own.
Oh yeah. I'm not gonna get off on much of a reparations rant (I hope), but I've got an intellectual middle-finger for all those who claim that slavery wasn't technically illegal, while ignoring such technicalities with regard to America's historical beef with the British.
Americans didn't ask for reparations, but they damn-sure fought for and killed for independence. That sounds like a case of semantics, to me.
But I guess "semantics" is only cause for blind dismissal when it's inconvenient to certain people's objectives and perspectives.
Oh well.
I still like fireworks, though.
2 comments:
I am an Army brat, what does that have to do with Independence Day/4th of July you ask? Well my early memories of the 4th are of my family going to see fireworks. But before it got dark, we spend the day veiwing the tanks, helicopters, and other equipment that our family members used daily.
I use the terms interchangebly, and the meaning for me is very different from what a "Republican" or "White person" or even someone that has no military background. Yes, this is getting long but for me it is a day to gather w/friends & family and hopefully eat good barbecue. ;-)
That's pretty much how I see it.
Basically, it's like how I see Christmas as opposed to the way that a lot of religious folks do.
I've got positive associations, but it means something different, to me.
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