Independence Day in the USA

Date:  July 4th, 1776

Place: United States of America, from sea to shining sea

Time:  As long as freedom rings

Event:  Celebration that the 13 American colonies are no longer subject and subordinate to the crown of England, King George III, and are now united, free, and independent states, as governed by democracy.

By the Authority of:  the Declaration of Independence, prepared by the Committee of Five (Thomas Jefferson, first author; John Adams; Benjamin Franklin; Robert Livingston; and Robert Sherman).

Purpose of a Representative Democracy: A system of government in which the people, who are all equal regardless of “race, creed, or color,” (update: also religion, sexual preference, financial status, political leaning, age, genre, etc.) decide legislation through chosen elected officials.

Pros: Reflects the general will of all people, representatives resolve conflicts more effectively resulting in “wisdom” of the populous, economic success results through market competition.

Cons: Election of a demagogue can create a political death spiral of a country into financial ruin. (Definition of demagogue: a politician with two particular properties: 1) He claims he defend people against the establishment, and 2) He offers simplistic solutions and explanations for the people’s problems).

Next critical date: November 5, 2024, U.S. election

Where: from sea to shining sea, election centers

Purpose: Preservation of democracy 

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out -because I was not a socialist.

Then the came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out -because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out -because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me -and there was no one left to speak for me. 

German pastor, Martin Niemöller’s words featured at the United States Holocaust Museum reflect his complicity in Nazism and “serve as an indictment of passivity and indifference… His powerful words about guilt and responsibility still resonate today.” (source: Holocaust Encyclopedia). 

FINAL THOUGHTS: For the rejected, downtrodden, erased, murdered, eliminated people listed in Niemöller’s words, substitute any and all of those that Demi-god Trump calls enemies of you and me: brown, rainbow, poor, alien, Jews, Muslims, military heroes, seekers of truth, justice, and the American way.  Trump considers friends of America: rich, white, uneducated, men, Putin, Kim Jong-un; Xi Jinping. Trump’s motto is not really make America great again, but MAWA, Make America White Again.

First Trump came for -, then his Supreme Court came for -, then his other political appointees came for -.  But he will never come for me, because I am white.  But unless I stand up for -, and -, and -, there will be no democracy left for you and me.  -SQ