HOW TO FIX OUR SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL PROBLEM
by Cash Michaels
Next week on July 4th, is our 250th birthday, America! Our semiquincentennial! There should be patriotic music, fireworks, parades, food, speeches about how this relatively young country has historically withstood those forces that have threatened to tear it apart.
In short, we should be celebrating our very existence as a nation. And indeed, many of us will be. But some won’t.
Some will not be celebrating the signing of our Declaration of Independence. Some will feel that there’s nothing to celebrate, especially with Trump and his many shenanigans in the White House, or the current lousy condition of the country. And that’s unfortunate. I’m certain that millions of Americans will still unfurl patriotic flags, throw the steaks and hot dogs on the grill, and break out the lawn chairs in the backyard, on the deck or at the beach because for all of their lives, they’ve been programmed to on July 4th every year, without giving any thought whatsoever to what the Fourth of July is actually supposed to mean.
That’s to be expected. And if you’re one of those celebratory Americans, don’t fret. Traditionally, July 4th is seen as a much needed break from the drudgery of everyday living, when family and friends get together to make noise, enjoy each other’s company, party, and let their hair down.
There’s nothing wrong with that, especially this year. Because beneath it all, we, as a nation, are supposed to celebrate our love and respect for our country, and the freedoms we still enjoy, and the symbols that remind us who we are, and who we still strive to be.
As much smack as I talk and write about the sad condition of our democracy right now, I would never so much as think about taking celebrating the semiquincentennial of our nation away from anybody. But in my judgement, celebrating our 250th birthday next week should be about celebrating the original ideals that helped to build this union for ALL people, and our resolve and commitment to reclaim them in the face of current undemocratic forces that pose perhaps the greatest threat to our freedoms we’ve ever seen.
One of our greatest patriots ever, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.”
That’s why Dr. King criticized America is much. Because for many of its citizens, it was not living up to the true meaning of its creed, its “promissory note.”
You see, one thing I left out about all of those carefree July 4th family get togethers I mentioned. After all of the lemonade and burgers and hot dogs and overcooked steaks and potato salad with raisins in it (there should be a law), just plain folks at these gatherings tend to send their kids off to play somewhere while they all sit their aging bellies down in the lawn chairs with a beer, and invariably talk politics.
And that’s when things get real.
“Girrrrrl, I just loved how you cooked those steaks and burgers with the special spices. That must have cost you a fortune!”
“Huh, you’re not lyin’! Compared to last year, we started not even to have a Fourth of July cookout. The prices for beef and ribs now are ridiculous! Even chicken costs too much. But we couldn’t let the kids down. They love it when we can all get together and see each other. But that crazy man in Washington with his peeling green reflecting pool and bombing other folks for nothin,’ who says he really doesn’t care how much we’re paying for gas and food…he NEEDS to go!”
“That’s right!”
“And he can take those good-for-nothin’ Republicans in Congress with him!”
“You got that right!”
And those are just the women. On the other side of the serving table…
“I’m tellin’ you Doctor (in the Black community, many of us older African-American men address each other as “Doctor” as a sign of respect, even if there may not be a medical degree or academic doctorate within fifty miles of our conversation), that crazy man in DC is messing up big time cuz, but ain’t nobody doing anything about it!”
“Truth. Truth!”
“Trump’s gettin’ away with every-thang, and then he’s using taxpayer money to build all kinds of monuments and ballrooms to himself, and throwing cage fightin’ matches at the White House for his birthday….and I heard on TV now he's refusing to sign a good housing bill that will help people, until he gets some bill that will make it harder to vote, and go after transgender folks."
"He better leave them transgender folk alone!"
"And those Republicans in Congress aren’t doing a damn thing to stop him!”
“You know that’s right!”
“And what are the Democrats doing about all this?”
“The Dems don’t have the power to do anything!”
“All I know is if the Dems get some power back, they need to do something about gas and the price of food before they start messin’ with him. Put some money back in my pocket, and they can mess with that man all they want. The Dems need to take care of the people first!”
“Amen, Doctor, amen!”
Then one of the wives goes over to the men.
“Anybody want another beer and a plate to take home? Got some more fresh butter pound cake I haven’t sliced yet. Better get it while we can still afford it!”
You may chuckle at that, but in the Black community, the fact that even in face of struggle and such high food prices now, people are still willing to share and be generous in the face of common daily economic challenges, says something about their resiliency, and commitment to those values that bind us all together.
By the way, I chose a Black family Fourth of July get-together to portray here because, in my experience, I know that model best. But I’m pretty certain the same scenario and conversations play out with other ethnic groups when they get together, break bread and talk as well.
Why? Because we’re all Americans, and we’re all going through the same things in this country we love right now. A country many of us served to defend. A country that gave many of us a chance to overcome, as Dr. King fought and died for.
We’re all communities of families trying to survive in this economy, and we’re all committed to finding answers. And because we’re communities of struggling families, we make up the lion’s share of this nation. That means that ALL of us have a say, a vote, to make the condition of our country better. And we have every intention of holding the people we vote for responsible for doing just that because we’re tired. But not so tired to put up with lots of mouth and no action. We want our lives, and the lives of our families and communities made better beyond our own efforts.
The jury has come back and the verdict is clear. That man in the White House mistakenly believes that for our 250th birthday as a nation, we should be celebrating him.
WELL WE’RE NOT DOING THAT!
All of us must commit to changing this semiquincentennial disaster we’re experiencing now starting this November by voting with a purpose, voting for ourselves and our families.
When you have your backyard get-togethers on July 4th, be the one who, after all of the fun is over and folks are just sitting around, be the one who starts the conversation, and then watch it continue from there.
Make sure it doesn’t end without discussing the need to vote in the upcoming midterms, and take the temperature on that.
Then, when the nice lady offers to fix you a plate to take home, be sure to get yourself one with ribs, chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, corn-on-the-cob, pound cake and potato salad (without the raisins, please).
Oh, and one more thing….HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!
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