What happened to the 4th of July?

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!!!

I love my country, but it feels as if the government has ruined it(the sense of pride i mean). to me it feels like toto has pulled back the curtain to reveal the true wizard and it really isnt all that great. again, I love AMERICA!! and HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY my fellow AMERICANS!!

Like in many other countries these days, it is considered wrong to be patriotic and proud. I wish it wasn't like that, but unfortunately it's becoming the new norm.

I had the pleasure of attending a July 4th party a few years ago at a friends house, and it definately wasn't what I was expecting. I saw a grand two minutes of fireworks for a start, but the atmosphere was fantastic and more than made up for the lack of sky displays.

What was I expecting? I don't know. Half of me was thinking there would be more discussion of the why's and how's this day came to be, but it was just a party. Beer, food, games of pool, nothing more, nothing less.

I'm not even American, but it would be shame if something that is part of the definition of America slowly disappeared.

it's kind of hard for me to celebrate our independence from the british when
british petroleum has brought ruin to our shores.
celebrate our freedom? we live in a nazi police state for christ's sake.
why was it all so cozy in the 70's? nixon in disgrace , the nam.
pride in what accomplishment there?
and now back in the opium and perpetual war-is that
a proud heritage? for halliburton-kellog-brown and root.
and all the poor kids that go get killed for oil.
As the certainty of war on iran looms dead ahead-
we'll have it just like when nixons pal the shah held sway..
the good old days. is that it?
I dont want to hear any stinkin fireworks
or the bombs bursting in air -makes my trigger finger twitch.
i'm down on the border..like there is one.
wont be singing freedom isnt free doublespeak hymns.
getting drunk seems an option.
to wash all this shiet down.
homeland uber alles.
Freedom is on the March!

I think we forgot what it meant...

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

....by a bunch of really smart dudes who fought hard to gain their independence.

Originally posted by Valhall
....by a bunch of really smart dudes who fought hard to gain their independence.

Hum, maybe that's what the horses were up to too .. fighting for their independence.

Stampede at Bellevue parade

I wonder how many lives this holiday will cost this year. Fireworks accidents? Highway deaths? Anyone keeping count this year?

yea man all the fireworks are illegal now within city limits... In a lot of cities....?

but damn does it feel good to have a buzz and hear the sound of a war zone on the evening of the fourth of july, fireworks and (even better) gunshots....

too bad we dont have independence, HAPPY DEPENDANCE DAY,

wake up one of the sheeple tomorrow.... let the fouth branch of the government take its proper place.... WE THE PEOPLE....

[edit on 4-7-2010 by nvprose1]

Independence day....

I don't feel independent!

I feel paranoid and constrained.

Observations from the East Coast: It is 10:25 pm EST and every year in my neighborhood people are blasting fireworks like mad...we never have to buy fireworks to enjoy a good firework show. This year is different. Nobody is shooting a thing. I see some small fountains, but nothing as in years past. They say to judge the economy on your neighbors. It is no doubt my neighbors are feeling the economic pinch.

reply to post by JohnPhoenix


Its because every single thing we do as Americans is now illegal or requires a paid "permit" that requires, above and beyond the money, a massive dose of brown nosing sycophantization.

Now Illegal:

FIREWORKS
BARBECUING
RIDING A BIKE WITHOUT A LICENSE
BEING AN UNESCORTED LAD OUT FISHING
CAMPING
HUNTING
MAKING AND SELLING CRAFTS
REBELLION

The list could go on forever.

I remember when you could smoke, buy dynamite at the hardware store, enjoy some firecrackers and drink beer on the sidewalk on INDEPENDENCE DAY.

But now, we're all home hiding from the control freak parasites that have choked our economy and our Liberty to death.

Enjoy it anyway: HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everything was always better in the "old days", despite the 10 mile walk back and forth to school through the blizzards. I think the only thing that had changed is perception. I'm probably quoting someone but; old memories are the fondest because they have had the most time to be embellished.

reply to post by JohnPhoenix


I hear you, JohnPhoenix, I too remember these things as if they were yesterday. I began the day by asking people I ran into who it was that the Revolutionaries fought in the War of Independence, the war we celebrate on July 4th. Not one person knew we fought the British! Not even my neighbor, who delights is decorating her house and yard for every holiday, and was placing little American flags all over her yard. This is sad to me. Our American theme song is about a battle, and we celebrate our Independence by blowing up things. A celebration of a war that everyone has forgotten. I guess it is just ironic that America is again on the brink of an internal war.

just bad karma for a country run by bad ppl making bad decisions! change that and you will see!

Well, I just came back from a carnival, with rides, cotton candy and a big ol' fireworks display at the end. I guess that means in my town in upstate NY, we were celebrating the 4th. And we had more people at the carnival than probably exist in my entire county. Maybe we had all the people you don't see celebrating?

I will be honest; it's the first time I've had the fourth off of work for quite some time. I think this might contribute to the problems you see in the fourth not being celebrated. The rise of people working retail and other services industries, instead of factory jobs, etc. We're all too busy working to celebrate any holidays. I'm lucky to get Easter off ...

Originally posted by Divinorumus

Originally posted by Valhall
....by a bunch of really smart dudes who fought hard to gain their independence.

Hum, maybe that's what the horses were up to too .. fighting for their independence.

Stampede at Bellevue parade

I wonder how many lives this holiday will cost this year. Fireworks accidents? Highway deaths? Anyone keeping count this year?

You should stay inside.

The 4th of July has been destroyed. As a kid, I used ride my bike to any general store and spend some allowance money on firecrackers. At the time, a 10 year old could walk in buy 2-4$ in fire crackers and a lighter and no one would bat an eye. Today, I lit some m-150's and people looked like some terrorist event was happening. Not only that, no one lets kids buy them anymore, therefore how can new kids enjoy the holliday when they can not really participate.

It is very sad. I wish people would still celebrate it like they did back then. I would love to see that...


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

The world has gotten so politically correct, that similar to saying "Merry Christmas" everyone is scared stiff to wish anyone else a "Happy 4th of July" in case they piss off some illegal immigrant or offend someone's sensibilities towards this most American of holidays.

Look at the kids in California who weren't allowed to wear a tshirt with a US flag on May 5th in case they pissed off Mexican students on Cinco De Mayo, but now you're not allowed to say "Happy 4th July" anymore?

The 4th of July is a TRULY American holiday. I say, if you choose to be in the USA on the 4th July, EXPECT to have someone say "Happy 4th of July, or Happy Independance Day" to you, regardless of your nationality or sensibilities. If you don't like it, it's time you LEFT the United States.

I'm not sensiitive about it, and I'm ENGLISH !

Happy Birthday America, from a dual LEGAL immigrant - I'm an Englishman with Canadian Citizenship living in Canada the last 20 years.

Happy Independance Day, Happy July 4th. Go out and celebrate your nation and your patriotism. I found it hilarious that during the "Macy's Fireworks Spectacular" on TV tonight they had to identify "The Star Spangled Banner" with a caption when it came on at the end. Are Americans really that unpatriotic that they don't know their own national anthem?

In Canada, we have July 1st eh. In England, they have NO real national day to celebrate English patriotism, and I think it's very, very sad.

I've noticed a trend, not just at ATS but from people in general.

Less people are willing to die to preserve this country and more are willing to die to take this country back from tyranny.

Peace

reply to post by JohnPhoenix

Still very much alive in my part of the country. There were so many events you could not attend them all. A gathering tonight of thousands in the park and along the riverbanks to share in the festivities, it was awesome! Family, fun, and patiotism was rampant!

The town was decked out in her stars and stripes, a ride down historic Broad ST was a treat, a parade with military old and young to honor this afternoon was attented as well, by thousands.

It is almost 1 in the morning now here, and I am still hearing fireworks.

reply to post by capgirl


still the same down here, infact i just came home from the lake where we all let off illegal fireworks (with cops joining in ) the parents got drunk with there friends i drove home people acted crazy. Sounds like the good ol days to me. but.. i live in WV were always like the good ol days haha