A Different Kind of Fourth

My Historical Kinfolk

I don't get worked up too much about America's traditional "Independence Day" any longer. When slaveholder Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence was issued on 4 July 1776, the whole thing was a bit of a scam - this in spite of the fact that one of my direct ancestors signed his name to that hallowed document (Charles Carroll of Maryland. That's his handsome punim in the painting above Of all of the Founding Fathers, he lived the longest). The fact of the matter is that, while Americans may have been declaring their independence and freedom on the first "Fourth of July", many of them were enslaved at that moment. Freedom would not come for the slaves for another eighty-nine years - but even then, that "freedom" was a mere technicality. That day in June of 1865, two-and-a-half years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law - two months after Lincoln died - a handful of enslaved people toiling under the blistering sun of West Texas were finally informed that they would no longer be enforced to work without compensation. Isn't that sweet?

Juneteenth is the day I celebrate now. When the day was signed into law last year by President Biden as a holiday, conservatives around the nation had a mass hissy-fit. They calmed down after a while, though. I guess that they finally warmed up to the idea that there was another day on the calendar that gave them an excuse to drinks lots 'n' lots of beer, get really drunk, and gorge on barbeque chicken. I know it works for me.

From this day forward, Juneteenth will be the day that I kick out the jams, baby!

Cassidy Hutchinson

Woman on a Philadelphia Street (4 July 1776): "Dr. Franklin, what kind of a government have you given us?"

Benjamin Franklin: "A republic, madam - if you can keep it."

We still have The Fourth and I guess it won't be going away any time soon, so let's deal with it as best we can. After the brave (and historic) testimony of Cassidy Hutchinson less than a week ago, on this July Fourth we should all meditate and contemplate how close we came to losing our freedom on January 6, 2021 - almost a year-and-a-half-ago to the freaking day. Let's also understand that the forces who came so close to overthrowing our republic on that day are going to try to do it again this year - and in 2024. Be on your guard.

That's all there is to it, campers. We need to keep this republic. 

Tom Degan

Goshen, NY

SUGGESTED VIEWING:

Supreme Revenge

from  PBS's Frontline

This was aired recently on Public Television. Here's a link to watch it on YouTube:

(1) Supreme Revenge (full documentary) | FRONTLINE - YouTube  

Essential viewing.

BREAKING NEWS, 5:20 PM:

Another mass shooting occurred in the American wasteland this morning. This time the carnage took place in Highland Park, Illinois during a Fourth of July parade. As of this hour, six people have died and twenty-four are in critical condition at local hospitals. The death toll is only bound to rise.

Keep voting Republican.