The overwhelming majority of Americans view July 4th, Independence Day, as a festive day, a day to celebrate America’s birthday with family and friends, and an opportunity to honor those who have fought and died so that the rest of us can enjoy the freedoms and privileges that some of us take for granted. Anyone who has even an inkling of America’s history would appreciate that. Yet, there is a small, but vocal, cadre of ungrateful, oblivious persons who choose to ignore the positives and choose use Independence Day to air their grievances about life in the US. They are aided and abetted by a woke social media and a complicit press, many of whom share their warped opinions.
Yes, I know America is not and has not been perfect. I am cognizant of the manner in which we mistreated Indigenous Peoples, slaves and people of color, generally. Also, I recognize that the Bill of Rights entitles the abovementioned malcontents to have their say. I am not suggesting that they should be prevented from speaking their minds, but still it angers me and many others who share my view that they choose to do so on “America’s Birthday.” This bashing appears to be uniquely American. I am not aware of people in other countries acting in this manner.
In my opinion, it is an insult to those who sacrificed to establish and maintain our way of life. Personally, I don’t know anyone who shares their views. Do you? I am not referring to honest political debate, which is healthy and appropriate. More on this later.
Some of the quotes in the media attributable to celebrities, for instance, have been well beyond merely critical and disrespectful. They are downright nasty, thoughtless, inane and disgusting. Moreover, as I said, the press and social media give them the forum to express those opinions. There have been many examples in the last few days, but I will give you just a few:
1. Bette Midler – “4th of July has been canceled due to a shortage of independence.” For the record, “The Divine Miss M,” as she is sometimes called, comes from humble beginnings. Her father was a painter and an employee at a naval base; her mother was a seamstress. America afforded her the opportunity to achieve fame and wealth. If she had been born virtually anywhere else in the world she would likely have not been been able to do so. America is probably the only country that gives someone, anyone, the opportunity to rise above the circumstances of their birth and become successful. We have all seen thousands of examples of this regardless of the person’s gender, religion, or skin color. Yes, some people may have an easier road to success, but everyone has a chance. Rather than being grateful, she has been a constant critic.
2. Michael Moore – “I cannot in good conscience continue to accept ‘full citizenship’ privileges.” (By the way, what does that even mean? Which ones are Moore ready to give up, and which ones does he want to keep? I doubt Moore has thought that through. Typical Moore inanity.) Moore came from a working class family. His dad worked on the assembly line for GM; his mom was a secretary. Even though I don’t agree with his politics, I recognize that he, too, is an American success story. He is also a constant critic of the system that enabled him to succeed.
3. Jessica Chastain – She is a fine actress, but that is where it ends. She has displayed a lack of class as well as disrespect. Her birthday present to America was a picture of herself giving the “double bird” to the country with the caption “Happy Independence Day from me and my reproductive organs.” Obviously, this was a lame protest of the Supreme Court’s decision regarding Roe v Wade. Like many other critics of that decision, she fails to grasp or chooses to ignore how the Constitution applies to abortion. But, that complicated and heavily nuanced topic is best reserved for another blog on another day.
4. Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner, not wanting to lose out on free publicity, posted the following on Instagram: “4th of July has been canceled due to a shortage of independence. Sincerely, women.”
5. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D CA) tweeted “this Fourth of July is ‘overshadowed by the dark reality of the Supreme Court’s decision that makes half of America less equal.’ ” Oh really? Where’s the half? Abortion is still legal and obtainable in many, if not most, states, including hers. Dumb comment on many levels.
6. ESPN writer Howard Bryant expressed his opinion in a column entitled “baseball, barbecue and losing freedom this Fourth of July.” ESPN would be better off sticking to sports, which they do quite well, rather than venturing into other areas in which their lack of knowledge is embarrassing.
7.. Les Dogg, whom I had never heard of, is apparently an entertainer of some renown. Her imprudent comments on America’s birthday were “not land of the free” and “feels like we’re going back to slavery.” Just a wee bit of an exaggeration.
8. NPR, which is a publicly-funded media outlet. felt it necessary to cancel its customary reading of the Declaration of Independence, claiming the document has “flaws and deeply ingrained hypocrisies,” in favor of a column bemoaning how “America is ‘tearing itself apart.’ ” Again, stick to what you are supposed to do.
9. Last, but not least, there was Joe Biden’s latest faux pas. At the end of his holiday speech he forgot to say “God Bless America.” Was it not written on his cue card? Dr. Jill had to remind him to say it, which she did on an open mic. Embarrassing, but we have come to expect things like that from our president.
I could give many more examples, but I think you get the point. Enough is enough. How do those who fought for this country feel about this? Fox News showed one WWII veteran who was literally moved to tears by all the disrespect. He was wondering, “what did we [his fellow soldiers] die for?” How sad.
My advice to these people is save such criticisms for another day. We may admire your singing, acting or whatever god given talent you possess, but we are not inclined to follow your political “advice.” In fact, most of you are not as smart or well-informed as the average American. You are not aware of the average American’s daily struggles to support their families, especially in these times of “Bidenflation.” You live in a bubble, an ivory tower. All the polls show that the issues you spout off about are way down on the list of the average American’s concerns.
In my experience, the preponderance of everyday Americans shares my view on the US. I have never met a single person who criticizes America to that extent. Sure, we may disagree on political issues, but deep down we realize how lucky we were to have been born in this country. Essentially, we have all won the “birth lottery.” We know it; apparently, you don’t.
CONCLUSION
Social media has many benefits, but it also enables, a small, vocal minority to express themselves over and over again, which gives the impression that their opinions are more representative than they really are. Most Americans are not fooled. As I said, the above celebrity critics are out of touch with the general populace. They don’t speak for us, and we don’t pay any attention to their comments and opinions.
Incidentally, not to beat a dead horse, but according to the latest poll promulgated by The Hill 88% of people think the US is “on the wrong track,” and the latest Gallup Poll reported that only 23% of respondents “have confidence” in the Presidency. In addition, Biden’s approval rating remains in the 30s. It is so bad that many Dems running for election or re-election are avoiding campaigning with him. The latest to do so is Tim Ryan, who is running for the US Senate in Ohio. Lastly, everyone’s favorite uncle, Bernie Sanders, is reportedly considering running again in 2024, and don’t forget Hillary who, despite her protestations, is always lurking. I don’t believe anyone is taking Harris seriously as a viable candidate, but others may emerge as the 2024 elections approach.
We Built It Blog by Larry Jacob 