A Parade of Emotions

Did you find this Fourth of July as inspiring as usual? Or, coming on the heels of the Supreme Court Obamacare decision, was it disheartening? Celebrating the Fourth in a different part of the country than usual brought that question home to me. Many years, I have attended grand firework displays, synchronized with stirring music. However, there is another Fourth of July tradition that takes place in thousands of less populated areas. It is the small town parade, and last week, my husband and I were privileged to see one.

A number of hamlets combined forces, so the parade boasted many a volunteer fire department along with representatives from a variety of schools and businesses. The crowd wore red, white and blue and cheered their neighbors as they passed by. It didn’t take much of an imagination to see this parade as a replay of one that might have taken place a hundred years ago. The parade we watched may have lacked the large budget, famous personages and “wow” effect of a huge fireworks show, but it beamed out a blowtorch of warmth and patriotism.

What surprised me were the different reactions as we compared notes with others. Although everyone agreed that the parade was charming, there was a definite split of opinion as to whether it was uplifting or depressing. Half the people with whom we spoke felt optimistic as they were reminded of how many Americans love their country and retain the values of their forebears. The other half saw the parade as a remnant of America past. They were saddened as they pictured the parade as an emblem of what was being lost. Since most of us chatting were of the same political bent, we all wondered how many of those marching might vote for those pushing the very policies that we clearly see as destroying America.

I can’t remember any presidential election that pundits did not describe as “the most important election of my lifetime.” Perhaps it always is. Building and nurturing are slow processes which need to continually happen; tearing down is quicker and easier. Each set of elected officials has the ability to do some good, but great harm. This Fourth, did you feel elated or resigned, ready to battle for our country or prepared to surrender?

Comments

[James]

Ironically, Mrs. Lapin, I suppose there will be some who read your column and remain mystified. For we have much to celebrate. But I get it. El Presidente announced upon his election that from day one he would be ready to rule, a promise he has kept.

He is not about “us.” He is all about I, me and mine. He and his minions have basically seized and redirected large sections of the automobile industry, leashed the banks and burdened the private sector with oppressive regulation. He regularly blasts Congress for not doing his bidding. But wait a minute: Congress and the Courts, the legislative and judicial branches, are not there to facilitate his rise to autocracy, they are there by design to balance and limit his exercise of executive power. That’s the American system. He promised a regime characterized by transparency, but has promoted and fostered autocratic policy changes via shady and corrupt back-room deals. The United States Constitution, a document he swore to protect and uphold, he seems to loathe as a useless barrier to his wielding of power.

The United States of America has chosen a new Pharaoh who hid his genuine nature behind a cloak of deceit. He is sweeping away economic liberty while pretending to honor the false god of equality, preaching class struggles while redistributing our wealth in the manner of Karl Marx. His supporters are hypnotized by gimme, gimme, gimme. If he is reinstated, we can expect further nationalization of private property and programmed government commandeering of our economy. He will continue to sweep away personal liberties as the Government dictates to us how we shall live our lives. Remember the words of a Founding Father and the spirit of the Constitution: he who will not be ruled by God will be ruled by the tyrant. Ayn Rand and my mother warned me about this day. Right, Ms. Susan. What will we do about it? Benjamin Franklin at the end of a long day in Philadelphia, was asked by a lady, “What sort of government are you giving us?” He replied, “A republic, madam, if you can keep it.”

[Jimdyl]

Well first we flew our Betsy Ross flag with 13 stars and stripes. And then we read the Declaration of Independence like many others around the country who had been reminded and urged to do so. I was elated to be going through a significant and accelerating period of reckoning before our very eyes, as union and Progressive tyranny finally seems to be cracking and ringing hollow. I was resigned to the will of God being the final arbiter. I fight daily for the righteous future of our country, and I am prepared to surrender to the timing that God has in store for us, feeling strongly that we will not be disappointed this year. The fools have blown it, and only the devil can give them another mulligan.

[Jean]

In my area there were no fireworks thanks to a serious drought that has gripped the midwest since the end of April. It was eerily appropriate, given the shell-shock that seemed universal after the Supreme Court's ruling on Obama(care)tax. Sadly, July 4th became just another day off,

[Deborah Seneca]

My Uncle posted The Declaration of Independence on Facebook on the 4th of July, and I was so glad because not only did it remind me how profound those words are, but it actually educated others about what we celebrate on that fourth day of July. I felt uplifted this year by the demonstrations of love of country and community, and I live in CA in anything but a small town. I pray every day that enough Americans understand the gravity of not only this year’s election, but of the need to examine our culture and to do better for our children. Seeing our flag and hearing music that honors our country and our people still gives me goose bumps. I’m sorry for anyone who doesn’t experience that feeling of honor, respect and hope.

[Ralph]

I am of two minds regarding the Fourth of July celebrations: 1) A surge of patriotism, for what the coutry stands for, what it was founded on, how it was founded and what opportunities it means for people and the freedons we still enjoy; 2) I recall the current events of a government that seems to be predatory, saying that it is helping us while doing all it can to hobble individuals, small businesses and discourage big business from staying on our soil, while using the racism of class warfare, skin color and anti-big everything under the guise of "fairness" and "equality" to promote and enhance discord and hatred in the general population in order to generate confusion and a lack of social cohesiveness in order to promote the evils of "liberal" and "Progressive" agendas.

But I haven't given up: there are signs that people are chafing under the current "management" as they begin to understand the destructiveness of its policies and actions, both nationally and internationally. The greatest leverage we have is also something that gives me hope: We can have an orderly revolution every 4 years that can change what we don't like and give us hope for a better future.