The Farce of July

For eighteen years, I have spent July Fourth on the Mall watching the fireworks. Usually I pack a picnic, gather some friends, and play games on a blanket all day or throw a frisbee until the evening sets in and the fireworks begin. In the past, I’ve usually gathered at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial and occasionally wandered inside to look at Abe. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my fellow attendees. It’s the one non-political day of the year, as we bask in the joy and easy patriotism of loving our country and our fellow Americans.

Not this year. With our President kowtowing to dictators all around the globe; praising murderous dictators in Russia, North Korea, China, and Saudi Arabia while striving to be more like them with restrictions on our press and tanks in our streets, all while forcibly separating families escaping persecution, locking innocent children in overcrowded cages where they have no beds, inadequate food and medical care, few showers, and no toothbrushes or blankets that even the Taliban gave their military prisoners —  I’m not inclined to go to the megalomaniac toddler’s multi-million dollar celebration of himself to witness his open-air theft of millions of dollars of taxpayer money to his own emolument-filled pockets.

Since the entire purpose of the event is to help our narcissistic President, self-loathing in his personal and intellectual inadequacies, “avoid the prospect of facing a smaller crowd of the sort that gathered on the Mall for his swearing-in“, I certainly won’t contribute to his numbers, despite the fact that I’ve gone every year prior.

I understand the concert on the West Lawn of the Capitol will be unaffected, and I don’t blame anyone for attending that, but I do fear Trumpists will measure these numbers in their calculations.

And I would join the protests today, except I’m not a fan of Code Pink. Still, I can’t quibble with anyone who joins them. A selfie in front of the giant orange baby blimp would be a nice momento.

No, in my view, the most patriotic thing an American can do today is stay home. I’ll be attending the annual festival in Rosemont. That goes until 2 pm today. I’m heading there right after I finish this newsletter. And tonight, I’ll be watching the fireworks from Virginia.

And luckily, Trump can’t ruin my fireworks celebration at my house on Saturday, July 13, which will be a fundraiser to turn Virginia blue in 2019, in preparation for turning American blue in 2020, in the hopes that in 2021, I can once again rejoin my fellow Americans for July Fourth on the Mall.

RSVP for my Fifth Annual Fireworks on the Potomac

My annual tradition of hosting friends and supporters for a fun night of food, drinks, and fireworks at my home in North Old Town continues on Saturday, July 13, 7:30-10:30 pm. Raise your glasses of lIme-peach-minT-rum punch and share a drink with me. Lime, peach, mint, and rum taste very sweet together. My parents will be flying in from Nashville to attend.

At last year’s Fireworks on the Potomac, almost 200 progressives came out to support turning the legislature blue, and I know I can fit even more folks in my house and on my back lawn this year. (Maybe not in the house but definitely on the lawn!)

RSVP for my Fifth Annual Fireworks on the Potomac