Conflict and Confusion Over July 4

[debka_notion]

Independance Day
One way or the other, I've been noticing two pretty different takes on July 4th this year. There's the crowd that's making a point of celebrating our country, and being patriotic and having fun with it. Then there are the people who simply include a comment of "Happy July 4" or something similar. And on the other hand, there's my mother, who says she'll celebrate July 4 when Bush is no longer in office, or Steve, who's current away message begins with: "Avoiding celebrations of oppressive nations at all costs."

In general, I tend to be pretty politically neutral, barring issues that are particularly dear to my heart (but that's idealism, not politicism, I think). July 4th has usually been more an annoyance preventing friends from coming to my birthday parties as a child to me than anything else.

There have been years when I've gone, with family, to some July 4th picnic, barbecue or other party, and more years where we've done nothing in particular. Just like my family rarely goes in for much elaborate celebration of religious holidays, we don't go in for much celebration of secular holidays either, with the exception of Thanksgiving, which is family-centered enough to make it a big deal of sorts. Religious holidays mean something to me, so I go out of my way to observe them, even when it puts me seriously out of step with my family. Secular holidays just don't seem so meaningful- I have no value system strong enough to make that effort.

It isn't that I don't want to live in the US of A. I'm happy here, and have no particular plans to move elsewhere. Nor is it that I don't agree with the current political establishment, so I'm not going to celebrate the entire nation because of it- I don't like Bush, but that if I felt strongly patriotic, I'm sure I'd celebrate anyways. But somehow, I never acquired much of an active patriotism. I feel strongly about many of the values inherent in living here, but not so much about the country itself. Perhaps that's an effect of being the child of, to quote "not-so-ex-hippies". To misuse words and borrow concepts, I'm a secular/cultural patriot. I like the United States enough, and I feel like a committed citizen I think, at least enough to spend time thinking about reasonable voting/drinking/driving/ military service ages, and the like (and occasionally longing for one of those systems Heinlein suggested where you'd have to prove reasonable adult intelligence or social responsibility or something in order to vote, but that's another story entirely, and probably insanely elitist)- but the celebration just doesn't do it for me.

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In many ways, a thought from a conversation I had in high school comes to mind- I think that one is being a better citizen by being vocal about one's opinions and ideas, critical Or supportive, than in blindly celebrating the country. Not that there isn't a place for that too, but it doesn't seem to fit in with my way of interacting with the world.

While I'm at it- why must all the boys in my neighborhood buy firecrackers and shoot them off in the street, making tons of noise, at a building rate from a week before July 4th, and still escalating? There were perfectly good town sponsored, safe fireworks Friday night- why do they have to do their own in annoying and/or risky ways?

Comments

[fleurdelis28.livejournal.com]

Your mother is going to let George Bush define America?

[shirei-shibolim.livejournal.com]

Those who don't like the current government should be thankful to live in a country where we can overthrow it peacefully every few years.

[danablanks.livejournal.com]

When I went out last night to see the fireworks, some kids thought it would be amusing to toss lit fireworks out of their windows. Needless to say, I heard a boom 5 feet behind me and it gave me a heart attacks. Even though lighting your own fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts, people still get them in New Hampshire. Sigh...

Well, besides the runaway fireworks, happy fourth to you! I most likely belong to the group that acknowledges it but doesn't go all out. Except yesterday I am happy to report I saw 1776 and sang along. :)

[navelofwine.livejournal.com]

"I think that one is being a better citizen by being vocal about one's opinions and ideas, critical Or supportive, than in blindly celebrating the country."

I think you're right. But I like DH's idea about July 4th being a "Simchat Independence" -- one day a year to just celebrate, uncritically, all the wonderful things about the United States.

[qianian.livejournal.com]

I used to be pissed about any kind of fireworks because I was an ecoterrorist and saw it as a waste of resources and source of pollution. Now I acknowledge its potential as art but what you describe is still what I was pissed about. The gross thing is when shit doesn't burn up and becomes litter, including electrical wires, all over the bloody place.