Constitutional Law, Politics, Society

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

Happy Fourth of July to everyone on our blog. The Turleys will hold our annual Fourth of July celebration with fireworks tonight with a cookout, pies, and of course fireworks. However, this year I am also going to watch my Chicago Cubs play the Nationals as the guest of a friend. I will then return to watch them again on Sunday with one of my sons and a very generous friend and his son. (Yes I am completely scarfing off friends).

I love this holiday. Despite the continued assault on civil liberties and our rather dysfunctional politics, it is a day that unites Americans over a common convenant of faith in representative government. While a new Gallup poll shows a record drop in the satisfaction of Americans over their freedoms, this holiday reminds us that we do have the ability to change our government — and a duty to do so. Moreover, this holiday we have a victory to celebrate in the unanimous ruling of the Supreme Court in rejecting the Obama Administration’s effort of strip citizens of privacy protections over their cell phone records and data.

100px-Chicago_Cubs_Logo_svgIndeed, the erosion of our civil liberties should only make us more appreciative of our Framers and more committed to regaining what they left us . . . and what we have lost. I remain an optimist about this country despite a depressing decade as a civil libertarian. Hell, I am a Cubs fan . . . I was raised looking at next year for a turn around.

So there for a great Independence Day to everyone on the blog. I will hoist a burger and a beer in your honor today.

59 thoughts on “HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!”

  1. Chuck,
    I know how meaningful that memorial service must have been for you and your family. He was one of the original heroes.

  3. Happy Independence Day! It’s a beautiful day at the lake, son in law bought enough fireworks to bring the lake cops to this side of the lake.

  5. I see the Cub/Nationals game starts @ 11am. Nothing like a cold beer before noon to remind us of the college years..mine anyway. Today is the 75th anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s retirement speech.

  6. Chuck ~
    When I think of those early brave patriots I am humbled by their monumental dedication and sacrifice. Today, I fear our national hubris makes a mockery of their efforts. I give thanks to your ggg-gf and mine as well.

  8. I knew my daughter had great taste in men when she started worshipping Jeter when she was young. Today, her husband is taking her to see Jeter’s last time in Target Field in The Cities. He put out $500 for 2 tickets to be 3 rows behind the Yankees dugout. We are blessed our daughter picked a good man to be her husband as well!

  9. You saw some great baseball. I got into college baseball late in life. When we started going to San Diego we started going to SDSU games, coached by the late, great, Tony Gwynn. Saw Strasburg pitch many games. He would fill the ballpark. Did you see Barry Bonds play? You’re not old enough to have seen Reggie Jackson?

    1. Nick – saw Bonds play and took classes with Reggie Jackson. He is super smart.

  10. Remaining positive and being a Cub fan is miraculous. Going to a ball game w/ your kids is something non baseball fans miss out on. Pity. Enjoy. That’s what kids remember. My earliest memories are driving to the Bronx, hopping on the subway, and going to see the Yankees. The sights sounds and smells are embedded in my memory.

    1. Nick – I used to follow ASU baseball and would take my textbooks there, get some sun, watch the game and get some studying done.

  12. Happy 4th everybody!!! We might not get fireworks here because the monsoon has decided to roll in.

  13. Been thinking about my ggg-grandfather. He was only seventeen when he watched the surrender ceremony of Cornwallis’ troops at Yorktown. At that time he was already war-weary from a year of fighting, beginning at the Battle of King’s Mountain when he was only 16. He was there at the beginning of our country. When you have a beer or other beverage today, lift a glass to those farmers, merchants and tradesmen who were willing to take on the most powerful professional Army and Navy in the world at the time.

    This is the 13-star Betsy Ross flag presented to me by the Colonel who presided over his belated memorial service at the National Cemetery in 2009, 179 years after his death.

    His Presidential Memorial Certificate, which I have framed and displayed in a place of honor in our home.

  14. Well, Hurricane Arthur Fiedler nearly ruined the Boston Pops Esplanade concert, as they had to move the annual Fourth of July concert to the Third of July. But there were still thunderstorms which caused the concert to cancel the final 1812 Overture to fit in the fireworks display. Oh, well.

    But regarding this “holy day” stuff, Professor Turley mentions recognizing the people’s “ability to change our government — and a duty to do so.” They sure did change the government, many times, electing one worse tyrant after another. As long as you have the apparatus in place that empowers a majority of people to rule over others, and empowers politicians to steal from you and send police after you if you don’t obey their orders, then you will never truly have freedom and “independence.”

  17. I agree with Randyjet about the high holy day. I celebrate xmas but it is for the presents.
    JT’s comment about the cellphone case is right on. The ACLU v. Clapper case is now in the 2nd Circuit on appeal. The ACLU will do a credible job. I have read all the briefs. Clapper is a good one to have as defendant because he lied to Congress. The cellphone case (Wurie and Riley) was grandly written by Chief Justice Roberts and has very good older precedents. This is the best civil liberties case of the past ten years.
    Right now I am in NC and dealing with a hurricane on a boat. Not going back to Nevada. Quite windy and the water is pitching us around. It is 3 a.m. and I don’t know where my children are. Oh, I don’t have any. Good.

  18. Enjoy the weekend everyone. I might add, Larry, that fireworks are best enjoyed with a bit of hazard added for flavor. Spices things up a bit. 🙂

  19. Since I am an atheist, I consider the Fourth to be my high holy day. Happy fourth of July and my personal thanks for your work on the pilots lawsuit.

  20. Happy Fourth of July professor. Be careful with those fireworks! 🙂

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