4th July

[Biggus Dickus]

During the 4th of July I will not be posting here at HAF in observance of Brexit 1776!

So why are you posting here at HAF, Pastor?

I wanted to make my intentions clear before hand Sir Gloucester, lest any think I was not patriotic in my duties to offer some token celebratory remark on this the honored day of our birth as a nation.

Since you have brought me back here somewhat against my will I can think of no better tribute in honor of our 4th of July than to post the following.

Frederick Douglass's fiery, uncompromising 1852 speech, "The Meaning of July 4th for the Negro" as read by James Earl Jones.

Here is an excerpt:

What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is a constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes that would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour.

There is a self evident mythology of American freedom and equality that exists in this country, along with a perceived notion of American innocence and god-ordained blessings. Especially on this day of independence, and it remains potent and seductive to many people in this country, even more so with the populace election of Donald Trump as President.

A few days ago the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute tweeted the following, "The birth of the United States was unique because it was a nation founded not on blood or ethnicity, but on ideas."

This is more tawdry historical fiction, and excludes not only the brutality of slavery, but the founding fathers own disgusting comments about race; as well as the colonization of indigenous lands, and even the bloody Revolutionary War itself. 

Frederick Douglass himself would reply: "The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and the crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced."

Happy 4th of July.

[OldGit]

Sorry we burned the White House slightly.

[xSilverPhinx]

Sorry we burned the White House slightly.

Pity Trump wasn't in it yet.

[xSilverPhinx]

Happy 4th of July peeps!

Just posting happy wishes, no fireworks around here but I'll be thinking of you lot...celebrating...having fun...eating good food and drinking good drinks.

Luckily as it's a normal day for me I don't have to worry about unsolicited, quasi unwelcome visits by annoying family members.

[Firebird]

Maybe all that tea and warm beer is why you prefer to drive on the wrong side of the road.

Nah, we just do that to confuse the French coming through the chunnel.

[Icarus]

Are the Isle of Man, the Shetlands, Little Minch, North Minch and other nearby islands considered a part of the UK?

Little and North Minch sounds close to being a Jewish word for a good friend or nice person.

[Dave]

[quote author=Icarus link=topic=15179.msg354747#msg354747 date=1499201372
Are the Isle of Man, the Shetlands, Little Minch, North Minch and other nearby islands considered a part of the UK?

Little and North Minch sounds close to being a Jewish word for a good friend or nice person.
[/quote]
The IoM and the Channel Island gave their own, sort of, government - but they are all subservient to Westminster.

IoM's symbol, three armoured legs, are said by some to be kicking England, Scotland and Ireland. Sort of looks like they could also be kneeling to all three!

Any bits that belong to a member of the United Kingdom (like the  Minches et al) are, obviously, part of the UK.

[Velma]

I've decided I hate firework, 4th of July or otherwise. My husband, a Vietnam veteran, says they don't bother him, yet he has more trouble getting to sleep and gets up and down more often during "firework season." We've resorted to giving our cats cat nip in an attempt to calm them down. It is after 11pm here and the idiots are still going strong with their fireworks.

[Sandra Craft]

I've decided I hate firework, 4th of July or otherwise. My husband, a Vietnam veteran, says they don't bother him, yet he has more trouble getting to sleep and gets up and down more often during "firework season." We've resorted to giving our cats cat nip in an attempt to calm them down. It is after 11pm here and the idiots are still going strong with their fireworks.

Fireworks seem to start earlier and last longer every year.  I've read that Italy (I think) has started using silent fireworks, which sounds like a win all around.

[Claireliontamer]

Surely July is a really bad time of year for fireworks as it's light so late into the evenings.  At least our big firework night is 5th November when it's dark by 6pm!

[No one]

BooksCatsEtc:
Fireworks seem to start earlier and last longer every year.  I've read that Italy (I think) has started using silent fireworks, which sounds like a win all around.


I really love, the skillful way
you utilized
that clever word play.

[Recusant]

Fireworks (properly handled) are at worst an annoyance. It's the nitwitted bozos firing their guns at the sky in an exact mirror image of Middle Eastern zealots and creeps like Saddam Hussein that I take issue with. 

[Velma]

The city had an official fireworks display. However, there were a large number of households who felt that it was perfectly fine to break the law and have their own - some until 2 am.

[Dave]

There is an 11pm legal cut-off for fireworks in Britain, except on New Year's Eve when it is 0030 I think

But, there are always blokes like the one in the next street who has the shiny stuff about 9pm then between 10 and 11pm lets off heavy duty "mortars," with a louder bang than a hand-grenade, at irregular intervals. But, that is stupid because you know the last one will be dead on 11 so you are prepared to just wait until his small brain and dick are both satisfied.

Big Bangs R 4 Bozos!

[Magdalena]