The willingness to identify “America” with the person who currently holds the office of President saddens me. I reckon many who now claim to disdain our country take most everything it offers for granted. As usual, Henry, you see things from a more holistic perspective, and help us remember to take delight in both the little everyday wonders, and the enduring beauty of our grand experiment in self-government.
I envy you your joy at this moment but WAY too many of us can’t possibly participate in it at this moment in our country’s history. I too live in the DC area but I have elected to get geographically away for a few days I can’t stomach being around the knee jerk patriotism involving the horrific person who is currently our “President.” We were and hopefully can be a great country again despite our flaws. But not today!
Mr. Oliver… thank you for your post. My family and I abhor what is occurring in our federal government. However, this is still America. We can still choose our own path and completely reinvent ourselves at any age. That cannot be said in the majority of first world countries. I think the powers that be are past their apex and are rapidly waning. There is too much good in America for this fantastic experiment to end with the nonsense that is currently in power. Happy 4th of July to you Sir.
As an American, I recognize that things have been bad or worse before, in terms of our circumstances and actions. Where I think they are uniquely worse now is the fact that about half of the voting population of the country celebrates a man whom we could charitably call a race to the bottom for being a race to the bottom. I don't think most people really had any comprehension of the scale of things like the Japanese internment or even Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And it doesn't seem like he could do anything to change their minds about this, including--as he once bragged--shooting someone in cold blood live on television. We've had bad leaders before, but generally, their supporters supported them in spite or (or in a couple of cases not even knowing) their defects, not because of them. If Trump did shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, the Supreme Court would issue an immediate unsigned opinion to acquit him of all wrongdoing and Fox News would prepare a segment (if they haven't already, just prophylactically) on how the handcuffed victim was coming right for him. I accepted the country electing him once. We all make mistakes. What baffles me and makes me want to give up on us is that we somehow did it again, with predictable results.
I don't mind the planes at all, though. I used to love it when the Blue Angels would do their air show over San Francisco. At this point, I think our military and its lingering sense of honor, rule of law, and fealty to the Constitution is probably the only thing that would save us if Trump ordered the nuking of Portland.
The USmilitary which engages in murder in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific and conducts an undeclared war against Iran resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians and collaborates with Israel in its ethnic cleansing and genocide? I do not share your belief in the US military; it has discarded any notions of duty, honor, country.
I so appreciate your perspective! And your joy for us. Yes, some can’t see it, but for all the problems we have created for ourselves, and taken in, we are indeed an amazingly wonderful country and people…well worth celebrating.
The sight of a U.S. fighter planes doing loop-the-loops is the last thing to make me proud of America. I am among those who are sick unto death of American militarism, our endless wars and material support for a thugocracy like Israel. The only good thing about Donald Trump was his opposition to more warmaking and we all know what happened there. This country simply cannot resist the military option to have its way, no matter which party is in the White House and that is cause for enormous despair, especially as so many domestic problems go unaddressed.
The willingness to identify “America” with the person who currently holds the office of President saddens me. I reckon many who now claim to disdain our country take most everything it offers for granted. As usual, Henry, you see things from a more holistic perspective, and help us remember to take delight in both the little everyday wonders, and the enduring beauty of our grand experiment in self-government.
Thanks for all this! We the People are America, no matter the government. And we are not going away. Happy 4th of July.
I envy you your joy at this moment but WAY too many of us can’t possibly participate in it at this moment in our country’s history. I too live in the DC area but I have elected to get geographically away for a few days I can’t stomach being around the knee jerk patriotism involving the horrific person who is currently our “President.” We were and hopefully can be a great country again despite our flaws. But not today!
I think many immigrants know to celebrate what’s still incredibly special about America. And that’s not new either!
Agreed!
Mr. Oliver… thank you for your post. My family and I abhor what is occurring in our federal government. However, this is still America. We can still choose our own path and completely reinvent ourselves at any age. That cannot be said in the majority of first world countries. I think the powers that be are past their apex and are rapidly waning. There is too much good in America for this fantastic experiment to end with the nonsense that is currently in power. Happy 4th of July to you Sir.
Wow, thanks, Henry. You sublimely reached for and found the stars in the sky.
Thank you for saying what so many of us think and love about our country.
Excellent comment Henry. Sometimes it does take the view of an outsider to create a little perspective.
As an American, I recognize that things have been bad or worse before, in terms of our circumstances and actions. Where I think they are uniquely worse now is the fact that about half of the voting population of the country celebrates a man whom we could charitably call a race to the bottom for being a race to the bottom. I don't think most people really had any comprehension of the scale of things like the Japanese internment or even Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And it doesn't seem like he could do anything to change their minds about this, including--as he once bragged--shooting someone in cold blood live on television. We've had bad leaders before, but generally, their supporters supported them in spite or (or in a couple of cases not even knowing) their defects, not because of them. If Trump did shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, the Supreme Court would issue an immediate unsigned opinion to acquit him of all wrongdoing and Fox News would prepare a segment (if they haven't already, just prophylactically) on how the handcuffed victim was coming right for him. I accepted the country electing him once. We all make mistakes. What baffles me and makes me want to give up on us is that we somehow did it again, with predictable results.
I don't mind the planes at all, though. I used to love it when the Blue Angels would do their air show over San Francisco. At this point, I think our military and its lingering sense of honor, rule of law, and fealty to the Constitution is probably the only thing that would save us if Trump ordered the nuking of Portland.
Good grief.
Minus the good.
The USmilitary which engages in murder in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific and conducts an undeclared war against Iran resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians and collaborates with Israel in its ethnic cleansing and genocide? I do not share your belief in the US military; it has discarded any notions of duty, honor, country.
I so appreciate your perspective! And your joy for us. Yes, some can’t see it, but for all the problems we have created for ourselves, and taken in, we are indeed an amazingly wonderful country and people…well worth celebrating.
Thank you.
I like your perspective. Thanks!
Happy 4th!
Happy 4th from picturesque Port Townsend, Washington, where we'll see a volunteer band and probably/maybe a parade.
Oh yay! Excellent news
Hear, hear!
Brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for the perspective.
The sight of a U.S. fighter planes doing loop-the-loops is the last thing to make me proud of America. I am among those who are sick unto death of American militarism, our endless wars and material support for a thugocracy like Israel. The only good thing about Donald Trump was his opposition to more warmaking and we all know what happened there. This country simply cannot resist the military option to have its way, no matter which party is in the White House and that is cause for enormous despair, especially as so many domestic problems go unaddressed.
Yes!
Damn! Thank you!
And this had to be said by and Englishman ...
Thank you for that.
How about becoming one of us?