About Independence

Post 1802:

Independence Day is here, and I’m not talking about another Will Smith movie. (That ship has probably sailed)

Americans are getting together from sea to shining sea to celebrate our sweet liberation from the yoke of a king with limited powers to a president with almost dictatorial powers. Pretty cool. And there’s lots of hot dogs.

We have a national story, and even if parts of it are untrue and even if a lot of people don’t believe it, the story does a lot to keep us going. I know everything’s divided and everyone hates everyone, but I don’t think it’s so bad. Most Americans feel the story in their bones.

I’m talking about the one where the little guy fights the ridiculously savage global empire with no chance of victory, unflagging and steadfast, prevailing against all the odds. Through disagreement and everyone wanting their own way, somehow a country was made. We’re still pretty free, and freedom is the theme. I want my thing and you want your thing so I guess fine we’ll both have our things. Freedom is messy, but the alternative is boring and super drab.

We’ve done a lot of good with our independence. Innovation and creativity, art and expression. We’ll park the fact that we're sort of like the empire we shook off back in the 1700s. I don’t want to hear about irony. You are not free to talk to me about it. It’s the Fourth of July, for goodness sake. Cheers and see you after.