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United States

Journal LordBodak's Journal: Independence Day 18

Journal by LordBodak

I have a theory about the holiday we're about to celebrate, and I discussed it with a few people to make sure my memory wasn't completely off.

Once upon a time, tomorrow's holiday was known as Independence Day. Now, you rarely hear it called that, and it's normally referred to as the Fourth of July. Why is that?

I think it's another example of the political correctness and sanitization of our history that seems to run rampant these days.

You have to take a look at what July 4, 1776 meant. On that day, a group of colonists signed their names to a document that was nothing short of treasonous, knowing full well that they might have to pay for it with their lives. Their values and beliefs that freedom was worth fighting for and worth dying for led them to that choice. They believed that in the face of a government that no longer served its people, the only acceptable response was armed revolt.

Do you think the powers that be have any intention of reminding people annually that the response to an unjust government is armed revolt? No, it's much easier to dilute the meaning, start calling it the "Fourth of July" instead of its rightful name, and convince people that we should all grill burgers and drink beer (not even light fireworks, because the country that is supposed to be a beacon of freedom for the world doesn't even allow its citizens to possess them) in celebration of... what? Having the day off work?

As Patrick Henry said, "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" If someone gathered a bunch of people in a church today and gave that speech, they would all be labeled terrorists and arrested.

I honestly believe the great men who signed the Declaration of Independence 230 years ago would be saddened to see what has become of her.

But despite all that, there is no place else quite the same. As Lincoln once said, the United States is the "last best hope of earth."

Happy Birthday America.

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  • But really, it would take more than gathering in a church and declaring "Give me liberty or give me death" to be charged with -- or at least *convicted* of -- being a terrorist. There *is* still freedom of speech and assembly and [mostly] religion in this country. That hasn't been COMPLETELY obliterated. In order to be a terrorist, you gotta at least have a plan.

    Not saying that we haven't become severely broken... There are just some vestiges that I believe still exist.

    But while we're on the subject...
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • Christmas, New Year's, Flag Day... all holidays whose dates are constant but we still call them by their names.
      • Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • Ooh, now you've done it! Christmas will hence forth only be referred to as the Dec 25th celebration. I mean just look at the word "Christmas" - it's got the word CHRIST right in there! How... Christian of you! The mere word is an endorsement of a religion! We can't let anything that endorses the Christian religion survive in american life! Purge it! PURGE IT!

        Thank you for your cooperation on this matter. Please redesignate Dec 25 on your calendar as Quran Day. Government inspectors will stop by wit
        • We're not there yet... but consider that it's now politically incorrect to say "Merry Christmas," which has been replaced by "Happy Holidays" or other generic sayings. And most schools now refer to it as winter break rather than Christmas break. So even though the day itself hasn't been renamed, that particular time of year has been.
    • Depends on the people in question.
      On Memorial day, I flew my flag (same as tomorrow), attended a cermony at a local cemetery put on by the local American Legion (parking was hard to come by), and drank a toast to absent comrades [slashdot.org]. Then I went and hung out with friends.

      On Veterans Day[1], I took my son to a ceremony at the state capitol building honoring veterans from the current and prior conflicts. Then we played frizbee. My work also had decent ceremony [slashdot.org] to commemorate. I even walked on stage, got a cheesy
    • For many years ANZAC Day was just another holiday - a day for the old veterans to play two-up and get blind drunk at the local pub. Especially through the 60s and 70s. From about the mid-80s (IIRC) onward, we started to take the day more seriously, the the extent that now-days a pilrimage to ANZAC Cove at Gallipoli on ANZAC Day is almost a must for young Australians travelling the globe.

      Re: The football game: The "traditional" ANZAC day clash started in 1995 and has become the biggest football match outside
  • ... then there was what used to be called "Armistice Day [wikipedia.org]" Which, as a day of peace, all of a sudden, became "Veteran's Day".

    What, 364 other days are not good enough? Can't have an Armistace Day AND a Veteran's Day? Evidently not. Can't have a day celebrating peace, obviously.

    • And we used to celebrate May Day (along with the rest of the world) until those godless communists adopted it!
      Then we created Labor Day instead.
      • The difference being that Labor Day celebrates slavery instead of independance (the powerlessness of the worker instead of the victory of the union).

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