250 Celebration Not What It appears To Be #390
By Hank Silverberg
In a few weeks , the United States will start celebrating its 250th birthday. It could be a time of renewal, of bringing the country together, of celebrating our democracy, with its successes and its flaws. Independence Day in general is supposed to be a day to remember American history, how we got here and where we can go.
 |
| (Tall ships sailed into New York Harbor, July 4th, 1976) |
It was so in 1976 when we celebrated the Bicentennial. The nation had just finished the Vietnam War poorly, Richard Nixon had resigned after Watergate, and President Gerald Ford, who technically had not been elected to the office he held, was trying to put things back together.
The events lasted more than a year with Ford lighting a lamp in the Old North Church in Boston on April 18, 1975 and traveling to Concord, Massachusetts the next day to commemorate the "shot heard 'round the world," and the beginning of the American Revolution 200 years earlier.
By the next summer the nation was in full celebration mode topped off by "Operation Sail," a large international fleet of tall sailing ships which gathered in New York Harbor on July 4th, and in Boston Harbor a week later. The world celebrated with us.
There was a big parade in Washington, D.C. attended by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, who had been touring the country. Much of the government, both federal and local, had some kind of celebration. For example, a few weeks after the 4th, NASA rolled out the first Space Shuttle which had been renamed "Enterprise" by public demand.
Later in the year, George Washington crossing the Delaware was re-enacted.
Despite Watergate and the bitter taste of the Vietnam War that was still hard to swallow, we all found something to celebrate.
There will be another international flotilla of tall ships in New York Harbor this July 4th. And there will be parades and events in big cities and small towns across the country.
But I am certain the 250th celebration will not be a time of unity. The spectacle that has been set up in Washington, D.C. just won't bring us that united feeling.
It comes at a time when the Trump Administration is trying to whitewash history, suppress dissent and categorize the country as "us vs them"
There will be the usual Washington, D.C. fireworks. But somehow the UFC fight on the White House grounds and a rally by President Trump won't be uplifting. The fight is low-brow entertainment not suitable for the venue, and Trump's speech is likely to talk little about American Independence and more about Trump.
(Mr Trump's personal financial gain from the UFC fight is corruption at its worst. He bought stock in UFC after the fight was scheduled with the cooperation of the UFC owner, a major contributor to his campaign. )
Yes, there will be the Great American State Fair running for 16 days in D.C., but many performers backed out because of its connection to Trump. And there is concern that some of the historical presentations will be whitewashed because of what Trump has tried to do with the Smithsonian and the National Park Service.
When we watched those tall ships back in 1976, we all had a sense of pride in what our nation had become. There was a feeling that by the time we reached 2026, we could have fixed some of our flaws and be closer to the "more perfect union" President Lincoln had hoped for.
Instead, we have retracted much of what was accomplished in those 50 years on everything from civil rights at home to world leadership.
We still have something to celebrate. The United States is still here, but I do question if it will be the same country 50 years from now.
News You May Have Missed
Iran War Hits Your Pocketbook Hard
You probably have noticed this anyway. The cost of the war with Iran is hitting consumers hard, and it's not just at the gas pump. The government has finally acknowledged it. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis says personal income decreased less than .01 percent in April, but at the same time, personal
The figures indicate price increases in many more things than just energy. Housing, utilities and recreational spending are also inflated. Of particular note, spending on airlines was up 20% while grocery prices had their largest monthly gain since 2022. Tariffs have also raised prices on clothing and household furnishings
https://www.bea.gov/news/2026/personal-income-and-outlays-april-2026
Rocket Explodes: Impact On Moon Mission?
It could mean a setback for America's return to the lunar surface. A massive explosion destroyed a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket during a pre-launch test in Florida this week, and it destroyed the launch pad as well.
Nobody was injured. The rocket was supposed to send 48 Amazon internet satellites into orbit, but the explosion occurred while the methane-fueled first stage was being tested.
(The rocket exploding)
Jeff Bezos, the company's owner, posted on X that it's too early to know the cause, but "we'll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying."
Blue Origin has been working with NASA and is a partner for the next set of Artemis missions that will ultimately put a man on the Moon. Blue Origin's Endurance Lander is supposed to deliver key payloads as part of the Artemis program. But the loss of the launch pad could delay future missions.
Dumbest Quote Of The Week
Vice President JD Vance gets this week's dumbest quote. He is attacking California Governor Gavin Newsom in this comment:
"You can go straight to hell..if your rhetoric encourages violence against our law enforcement, you have no place in this country's political conversation."
We need to remind Mr. Vance that his boss, Donald Trump, used such rhetoric to encourage hundreds of people to storm and break into the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2020, attacking police the entire time.
Insightful words do have an impact. Start with the White House, Mr. Vance.
(You suggestions and comments are welcome)
My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at: HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)
https://www.amazon.com/Campaign-Hank-Silverberg-ebook/dp/B079659XPC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796
My NEWEST book is now available. It is designed for use in Public Speaking and entry level communications classes.
Comments
Post a Comment
Reactive comments are welcome. Please keep it civil. Any direct attack on the blogger or those who post is not welcome and will be deleted.