The 4th of July.
The history humbles us. The connotations–Declaration of Independence, Founding Fathers, democracy, liberty, freedom, patriotism, exceptionalism–inspire us. Reminders of the rockets’ red glare over Fort McHenry literally illuminates us.
This past Fourth saw the re-opening of the Statue of Liberty plus major concerts in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and New Orleans. The First Family hosted U.S. servicemen and women at the White House for a cookout. Many communities held parades. Baseball games saluted the military. “Yankee Doodle Dandy” remained a holiday favorite. Locally, nighttime pyrotechnics were on display from Brandon to Gulfport, and 27 nations–from the Bahamas to Vietnam–were represented in the Fourth of July naturalization ceremony at the Tampa Bay History Center.
And yet.
There’s an argument to be made that each year removed from 1776 and the War of 1812 is another year of decreasing connection. A Gallup poll says 71 percent of Americans think the Founding Fathers would be disappointed by the way the U.S. has turned out. As a nation, we’ve long since quit prioritizing the teaching of history and civics. It’s embarrassing that it’s not more embarrassing. Throwing a national birthday party in 2013, arguably, doesn’t quite look like–or mean–what it used to. To wit:
*Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park was among a number of sites nationally that hosted anti-NSA demonstrations. The “Restore the Fourth” protest downtown featured “I am Snowden” signs carried by demonstrators wearing masks–no, not Lady Liberty, but Guy Fawkes.
*It wouldn’t be Independence Day without a July 4th Weekend Blowout at Shooters World, which meant up to 30% off firearms, ammo and accessories–plus a concealed carry class. Celebrating in the Stand Your Ground State. You betcha.
*It also wouldn’t be Independence Day without fireworks purchasers celebrating a legal farce: blatantly lying by signing a waiver promising to use them for agricultural purposes.
*As a consequence, it wouldn’t be Independence Day without news reports of inexpertly monitored, ad hoc fireworks exploding prematurely or blasting off in directions other than “up.”
*While we all appreciate the aesthetics of a sky aglow in color, there are those among us who treat the Fourth like Gasparilla used to be at its worst. No rules. Does the free-lancing cherry bomb and firecracker crowd–that wouldn’t know Fort McHenry from Fort Brooke and isn’t limited to the Fourth or to non-wee hours–sound familiar? If you have pets who are unnerved by kaboomin’ idiots, it surely does.
*For those nostalgic for images of Saddam Hussein aiming his automatic weapon at the Baghdad skyline, there’s always “celebratory” gun fire. The obvious problem: Bullets that go up also come down. “We the people” morph into we the yahoos and ass-hats. Yes, they are also among us.
*And who can ignore that glorification of gluttony: the nationally televised Coney Island Fourth of July hot dog eating contest? For the record, perennial winner Joey Chestnut downed 69 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, which amounted to 20,000 calories and 1,200 grams of fat consumed. No, there were no sack races afterward.