Independence Day

Today is Independence Day! Really I feel like I celebrated it yesterday, Friday, as I was off work and my family and I journied to Philadelphia for cheesesteaks, strolled through New Hope on the way back, and attended a neighborhood party in the evening, followed by our town's fireworks display.

Sometimes I wonder what we are celebrating anymore on this holiday: what America was? is? or is going to be? July 4th probably means different things to different people. I took a ribbing from a neighbor when he noticed I had brought Mexican beer to a July 4th party, as he unloaded his Miller product into a large cooler. I informed him that to the best of my knowledge, Miller was owned by South Africans so he wasn't any better. Perhaps his beer choice was more suited for celebrating what America was and my beer choice reflected its future - an America with a confused immigration policy, or lack thereof... mostly from South of the border.

Today the National Park Service re-opened the crown at the Statue of Liberty and some military veterans who are non-citizens will be sworn in as citizens there. Serving in our military isn't a bad way to earn citizenship! At least they probably need to learn English to serve. Anyway, I wonder how much room we have left for more "huddled masses" of immigrants when we are moving to a tax policy that makes them more of a burden as our government taxes away the opportunity they came here for.

Also in the news today we learn that Sarah Palin is resigning as Governor of Alaska. I like what she represented - a fresh, young, attractive face to conservative America. Unfortunately she was a real threat to the liberal agenda, so the media destroyed her. They prefer the face of conservative America to be grumpy old white guys - much easier targets to ridicule or demonize - just watch any TV show or commercial. I hope Palin takes to the airwaves and continues to fight the good fight - I think big things are in store for her, but likely more on the fringes of politics, where it might be a little safer.

Last night I laid on a blanket in a bank parking lot to view the fireworks, my little daughter snuggled up next to me, drowsy as it was well past her bedtime. The fireworks were astonishing, well beyond what one would expect from such a rinky-dink town in the NJ suburbs. Maybe people would feel patriotic for a day or two, as the media might allow, before putting America back on Michael Jackson to numb our minds. After all, they give us the anesthesia we need so the surgery of removing our liberties by Dr. O and his team feels less painful.

Happy Fourth!