What's So Happy About Today?

My husband went out early to participate in our local celebration of America's founding. He is set to march in a parade of firemen, policemen, school groups, ladies who lunch, Elks, Masons, and Democrats through the streets of Freeport, decked out in his July 4th tchotchkes (see photo), along with 10 or 12 fellow Republicans in this very blue town. Not wanting to make myself a target of any Trump-hating crazies who may be roaming the streets, or actually crazies of any kind, I passed on the experience.

Call me cynical, I don't care. I also don't care to pretend to celebrate a country that is rife with division, where crime is rampant and hatred between our warring political factions rivals the buildup to the Civil War. Let's face it, America circa 2025 is no fun. The dream has not been fulfilled.

Okay, so we are not ruled by the British -- I'll give you that. I suppose that's a good thing, but it doesn't balance out rioting in the streets, murderous shootouts in many of our biggest cities, drag queen story hours in elementary schools, anti-semitism on our most prestigious college campuses and countless unwashed homeless leaving their dirty syringes behind as they traipse off to yet another outdoor encampment.

Happy birthday, America. Now just get it together and be something to celebrate and maybe I'll get out there next year.