The Fourth

Well, happy 4th or July, for what it’s worth. Nothing against barbecue and fireworks. It is just a holiday, and has no greater real world importance than any other symbol, like a statue or a street’s name.
But, as a blogger, every symbol can be an excuse for a blog so I’m sure many bloggers are using this day as an excuse to write about what America means to them, so I’m just swimming with the current on this lovely, blue skied summer morning in Prague.
America began as a noble experiment. Like the ancient Greeks, we still had slavery, but July 4th, 1776, was nonetheless a crucial date in the history of democracy. The birth of America spelled the death of royalty as a major form of governance, and thus was a very good thing.
But as Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government ever invented, except, of course, for all of the others.” Democracy gives the people (in theory) exactly what they deserve, and the good old USA is sure getting a shit storm of bad right now. Yes, it’s deserved, but nobody’s celebrating.
Biden supporters are saying we have to vote for him or America is doomed. Many Sanders supporters are saying whoever wins between these two Bozos, America is doomed. Trump supporters are saying bring on the apocalypse.
In any event America, as we once thought of it, is done. Let us move forward into the future, taking the best of that experience – Democracy, Rock and Roll, Jazz, Blues and Hollywood – and leaving the worst behind.
Happy 4th, everybody. Enjoy the fireworks.