This week, as I see banners going up around town in Easton celebrating our 250th year of independence, I was initially feeling rather discouraged about this year’s celebration. I have seen comments in various forums online about how many others feel similarly disenchanted with a celebration when our nation is seemingly in the grips of an authoritarian takeover…of the way our nation is viewed overseas now with increasing suspicion and distrust. For years now, the current elected official in the White House has implied ala King Louis XIV that “Le etat c’est moi” and millions have embraced it but particularly his staff has attempted to enforce it.
For most of my life, I thought that American freedoms and liberties were our birthright. Only recently have I come to fully understand that they are certainly not a birthright but must be earned from generation to generation. And for a brief time, I was angry at our circumstances. As such, I have been feeling very much against celebrating anything, particularly if it involved the current administration orchestrating said celebration as if they are the true Americans and imply that the “libs”are undeserving of such designation. But I spent some time considering this position and it did not sit well in my heart. That is not America. Moreover, the Declaration of Indepence and the actions of our forebears call us to celebrate not because of the man that resides on Pennsylvania Avenue but in spite of him…in protest of him and his policies. That is the most American thing we can do this July 4.
When the celebrations this July 4 are over, we must get down to the business of forcing this man out of office as soon as humanly, legally possible. And to establish, rather adamantly, the need for accountability for every last person that aided and abetted the grift, the criminality, the cruelty that was perpetrated from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue from 2017 to 2021 and from 2025 to present. And the only way to reclaim our national honor here at home and on the world stage is to be very certain that the letter and spirit of the law be used to hold them all to account.
So, let us celebrate our Independence this year, fully in the spirit of those who risked everything to write the Declaration of Independence and framed the Constitution as a living document and to make them “stick”. Let us work HARD to honor the sacrifices of every veteran from Lexington and Concord through the Civil War, WWI, WWII to Korea and Vietnam to the Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq….to bring about change and to run out those who prefer cruelty over justice. We the People ARE America!
James O. Siegman
Talbot County
Talbot County
Talbot County
Interesting perspective on July celebrations. Do you have any special traditions you follow?
Every year for the last I don’t know how many, we catch fireworks in Easton, St Michael’s and Oxford….the rest is pretty variable but probably some local produce is involved in our meals
I agree with James. Let’s no allow him to rob us of celebrating this or any other 4th of July in honor of all those who sacrifices to make America possible. While the majority in Congress refuse to constrain him, we should all do our part at the polls in November to limit the damage he can inflict on America and the world during his remaining time in office. Think about that on the 4th and do your patriotic duty in November.