Independence Day, 2025

Happy 4th of July! May we all celebrate the birth of America 249 years ago. Cookouts, fireworks, maybe a parade. Gatherings of friends and family. Enjoy the day and give thanks for the Declaration of Independence and the men who signed it with a pledge of their Lives, their Fortunes, and their sacred Honor. 

Many events will happen across America on this grand day. 

• Friends and families will gather for cookouts and fellowship.
• Many will be on the water or at the beach. 
• Cities and towns across America will end the day with fireworks.
• For those so inclined, patriotic music and firework displays will air on TV. 
• Tens of thousands will visit our nation’s capital and celebrate our Independence.
• Our troops will stand guard around the globe, keeping our nation secure in a world that is less safe today than it was a month ago.
• Some few of us will reread the Declaration of Independence either to remind ourselves of our history, or to decipher new meanings for today’s world.
• And all of us can be assured that on this most sacred of American holidays, President Trump will, as he did on Memorial Day, and for many other holidays, events, and celebrations*, make comments that disparage half of our country. 

 Ignore him. Instead, enjoy Independence Day and practice the Pursuit of Happiness. Celebrate America and our diversity of people, geography, cities, and open spaces. As Woody Guthrie sang, “This land was made for you and me.”

God Bless America. 

Addendum:

• * In addition to Memorial Day, other recent holidays or events when Mr Trump has felt compelled to insult and disparage Americans and others include: Valentine’s Day, Easter, Juneteenth, the recent graduation of the West Point Class of 2025, recent remarks at Fort Bragg to our military, and his comments on the occasion of the 250th Birthday of the United States Army. Actually, he’s done it pretty much since he was reelected. 
• I have written two other blogs about the 4th of July. You can read them here:
  • Good Morning America, How Are You? It was dusk turning to dark on July 4th, 1976 and Washington DC’s Bicentennial fireworks would start at any moment. Cathy and I were stuck in traffic on the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac. It looked like we weren’t going […] Continue here: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/30/good-morning-america-how-are-you/
  • Is July 4th, our Independence Day, a holiday we all still celebrate together as Americans? Or is it now just a fairy tale with fireworks as entertainment for the young, and no longer any unifying meaning?  Some days, I’m not sure I want to know the answer […] Continue here: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2024/07/01/july-4th-a-fairy-tale/