Monday, July 4, 2005

Fireworks and Storms

"Nobody got hurt at the Boston tea party. The only people who got hurt were some fancy boys who didn't have anything to wash down their crumpets with. We jumped out from behind bushes while the British came down the road in their bright red jackets but never has a war been so courteously declared. It was some parchment with caligraphy and your highness we beseach you on this day in Philadelphia to bite me if you please." - Sam Seaborn (The West Wing)

Happy 4th of July! At this moment I am looking out the window and I realize it is going to storm. I am really glad my parents decided to set off the fireworks last night instead of today. The decision had been based on the fact that on Tuesday my father has to be to work early and I have to get up in the morning to get back to school. I have been enjoying the extended weekend and the cake my mother made (in a sand castle shape). My family isn't really big on celebrating the holiday. I think that's because my grandmother's birthday falls on 4th of July so we are more celebrating her birthday. Unfortunately due to scheduling conflicts (and take home exams) we didn't make it down to Kentucky. How did we celebrate you ask? We went to eat. (Yes, I am one weird duck).

The 4th of July really does get you thinking doesn't it? Back in the 1770's people were fighting the British so that the United States could be formed (OK, so they had a different name at the time but you get my point). They were fighting for our rights - freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and other freedoms. Ever wonder what the founders of our country would think of it today? Would they be impressed? Or would they wonder what happened to the set up they spent so much time on?

I honestly don't know what they would think.

For More Reading: Celebrating Independence Day in the United States and History of Independence Day

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Some folks enjoy random commentary... Others are annoyed by it. I apologise if you are one of the latter. I'm just passing through, having found this entry with the unlikely search string "bite me, if you please."

I was trying to thikn of a way to phrase it - How I think they might feel about where we've gotten to - and the verbal illustration that came to mind was of a person walking down the sidewalk... They notice, just after it's too late, that they've stepped in a rather large and unpleasant pile of dog doo, but as they try to scrape off the bottom of thier shoe, they see that, stuck to the bottom of this disgusting mess was a $100 bill. They curse the bad, bless the good, and look for change right away. ;-)

I feel sure they'd see a lot they'd be really pleased at, and a great deal they wouldn't. I'm sure very many of them would be outraged by the attempts some people make to steal their endorsement in efforts like branding this a "christian country". Unfortunately, very many of them would also be horrified to learn, for instance, that you and I are legally able to vote. ;-)