With the Fourth of July safely out of earshot, let's look back on our holiday of freedom and make fun of it, as we would a fool that just left the room.
Easier said. Days later, my neighborhood is still alive with low-grade explosives. How long does the Fourth last?
Boom.
Ah, fireworks. Independence Day is a time of celebration. So, let's blow up stuff. Sounds good, but why?
When you think of the Fourth, what do you think of first? Founding Fathers declaring this nation free? Our inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
Or do you think of the red, white and blue smeared across advertising and merchandise from sea to shining sea?
Incidentally, according to the U.S. Code, Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 8,"(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard."
Grandma, go to jail.
Boom.
Aside from those who clean rifles, live in the hills and prioritize the Second Amendment over the First, who thinks about why we celebrate Independence Day?
"It's about our Founding Fathers, and the freedom they gave us," I hear.
A moment, then, for our Founding Fathers:
Doesn't it stir you to think about them, sweating in those corsets and wigs -- or whatever they wore back then -- setting this nation free before going home to slaves, plantations and marijuana crops?
Boom.
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. That day, our Founding Fathers declared that all men were created equal.
Of course, you had to be considered a man. Blacks, Native Americans and women didn't count. Blacks weren't "officially" human for another 87 years, when President Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.
In many areas of this free land, blacks were subhuman until the civil rights movement of the 1960s, when blacks rose up and took the rights to which they were entitled.
Boom.
On the Fourth, do we think about how our nation was founded? Fireworks tend to obscure what we fail to keep in mind.
That is, our history is dirty. It's worth celebrating with humility, but it's not worth forgetting.
Americans don't really think about history or "inalienable" rights on the Fourth, because with our history, what does "inalienable" mean?
So, most Americans just think about fireworks. Bigger ones with louder explosions please -- the more illegal, the better. And each year, our hubris gets bigger and our audacity grows.
Humility? Not on the Fourth of July. We're big, we're bad -- we're the U. S. of A.
Hey, you know, even Rome fell.
Boom.
Fireworks aren't bad. In the proper hands, they're perfect for celebrating the beautiful aspects of America -- but they're not for meaningless spectacle.
When I hear detonations at 1 a.m., my first thought isn't, "I sure love freedom."
I'd rather see professional displays, not redneck backyard fire-play. That way ordinary people can watch and enjoy, and maybe even think without blowing off a hand.
Because average pyromaniacs aren't thinking, "God bless America," or "I love freedom."
Listen, and you might hear them:
"Hey, y'all, watch this."
Boom.
Write to John at kingseyeland@bsu.edu
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
