Happy Fourth of July to everyone! And lots of love to all of our military service members and veterans!
Happy 4th, America’s No King Day
Happy 4th, Neo and all posters.
Happy fourth all
…EVERY YEAR! No kings
Or queens day.
A day of reflection for me. The 249th birthday of this blessed nation. How grand was the vision of freedom that our Founders had. They knew that freedom and liberty are not the normal state of humans. Aa such, it’s fragile. Never more than a generation from being lost.
With politicians such a Mandani and others openly declaring their socialist beliefs, it’s clear that those favoring authoritarian government are deeply embedded in our society. We ca take comfort from the MAGA revolution, but we can never let our guards down. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
Enjoy the day. Celebrate this grand experiment in self-government. It really is exceptional.
J.J.:
Agreed.
Hmm.
Some people appear to be against calling it “The Fourth”.
(Maybe they think it will be confused with the Fourth Turning…)
@JJ: “They knew that freedom and liberty are not the normal state of humans.”
I have wondered about the respective and relative meanings of the words “freedom” and “liberty”. In some sense they are “sort of” the same? In what way exactly are they different in meaning. Whatever distinctions they may convey, we still want both of them.
@ Barry M: “Go forth and…celebrate!”
This works too: Go Fourth!! And celebrate!!
Happy celebrating to all – hoping your pets are quieter than ours with the fireworks going off.
Or, as we could call it, Happy No Kings Day — for real. Two hundred and forty-nine years ago, thirteen British colonies threw off the yoke of an oppressive and remote monarchy and wrote one of the most remarkable documents in human history. It would take another seven years at arms, and another war in 1812-14, to firmly establish a new nation based on the principles of self-governance and liberty that this declaration promised.
When we celebrate Independence Day, we celebrate the vision and the courage of those who risked everything in this declaration, and the values that carried them to victory. We have spent the 249 years since attempting to meet the challenge of these values, imperfectly but implacably. In every generation, we have faced those who discount or dismiss the strength of a self-governing people dedicated to liberty. And in every generation, we have managed to keep our Republic, as Ben Franklin once warned — as long as we keep these words in mind.
===
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, …
(the whole thing – should be read out loud on the floor of the Senate and the House every year)
———
One final thought: Most if not all Hot Air readers will already be displaying their flag today. Unfortunately, that practice has ebbed during the course of my lifetime in parts of the US, although not here in Texas where we live now. This lovely essay from Larissa Phillips at the Free Press is worth your time today, in which she has come to truly embrace the flag for the first time in her life, and embrace what it means as well. It’s quite a journey, but today is a perfect moment to walk it with her.
Happy birthday, America. Long may your banner wave in freedom and liberty.
An excellent personal essay, and one that shows how people can realize what they truly believe, and can reject the learned behaviors of their past.
David Foster’s post includes a link to another nice personal essay about reconciling former negative attitudes about the United States with a realization that it really is what it purports to be: The land of the free, and the home of the brave.
Sorry Art, it’s almost certain that Trump is negotiating some amnesty for the Rep voting farmers, and it won’t be called amnesty. And it won’t be so bad. But whatever deal it is, it’s not done yet—too much “news” is current speculation about what will happen. Exactly what the news consumers want, knowledge today about the future. Which they don’t get, but instead get speculation.
Thanks AesopFan for nice links. It’s good to love the good parts of your country.
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Happy Fourth of July to everyone! And lots of love to all of our military service members and veterans!
Happy 4th, America’s No King Day
Happy 4th, Neo and all posters.
Happy fourth all
…EVERY YEAR! No kings
Or queens day.
A day of reflection for me. The 249th birthday of this blessed nation. How grand was the vision of freedom that our Founders had. They knew that freedom and liberty are not the normal state of humans. Aa such, it’s fragile. Never more than a generation from being lost.
With politicians such a Mandani and others openly declaring their socialist beliefs, it’s clear that those favoring authoritarian government are deeply embedded in our society. We ca take comfort from the MAGA revolution, but we can never let our guards down. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
Enjoy the day. Celebrate this grand experiment in self-government. It really is exceptional.
J.J.:
Agreed.
Hmm.
Some people appear to be against calling it “The Fourth”.
(Maybe they think it will be confused with the Fourth Turning…)
“Don’t Call It The Fourth!”—
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/dont-call-it-fourth
One possible response, I s’pose, might be: Go forth and…celebrate!
To all a Happy Forth!
Yes HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
LET FREEDOM RING! Illegal fireworks take over Los Angeles during COVID Lockdown defying authorities – Video
https://commoncts.blogspot.com/2025/07/let-freedom-ring-illegal-fireworks-take.html
Happy Independence Day! Long may we be free!
My traditional July 4 post of Stephen Vincent Benet’s poem Listen to the People, with commentary on the current state of things:
Shall It Be Sustained?
https://chicagoboyz.net/archives/74518.html
@JJ: “They knew that freedom and liberty are not the normal state of humans.”
I have wondered about the respective and relative meanings of the words “freedom” and “liberty”. In some sense they are “sort of” the same? In what way exactly are they different in meaning. Whatever distinctions they may convey, we still want both of them.
@ Barry M: “Go forth and…celebrate!”
This works too: Go Fourth!! And celebrate!!
Happy celebrating to all – hoping your pets are quieter than ours with the fireworks going off.
https://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2025/07/04/happy-birthday-america-249th-independence-day-n3804459
https://www.thefp.com/p/im-finally-hanging-my-american-flag-america-at-250
“Growing up, I was taught to dislike the American flag and all that it represented. This year, for the first time, I hung one outside my house.”
An excellent personal essay, and one that shows how people can realize what they truly believe, and can reject the learned behaviors of their past.
David Foster’s post includes a link to another nice personal essay about reconciling former negative attitudes about the United States with a realization that it really is what it purports to be: The land of the free, and the home of the brave.
https://wildbarestepf.substack.com/p/maybe-patriotism-isnt-cringe-after
https://www.informationliberation.com/?id=64976
==
I’m hoping this is a fraud.
Sorry Art, it’s almost certain that Trump is negotiating some amnesty for the Rep voting farmers, and it won’t be called amnesty. And it won’t be so bad. But whatever deal it is, it’s not done yet—too much “news” is current speculation about what will happen. Exactly what the news consumers want, knowledge today about the future. Which they don’t get, but instead get speculation.
Thanks AesopFan for nice links. It’s good to love the good parts of your country.