Society

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

I wanted to wish everyone as wonderful and safe Fourth of July. I love this holiday for how it brings together Americans of different political and cultural values.  We celebrate our common article of faith in not just our Declaration of Independence but our Constitution.  In our current poisonous political environment, this is a day where we can transcend the anger and vitriol for just a day to remember what we have in common as opposed to what we have in conflict.  Perhaps we could even recollect what it was like to have civil discourse over our future and our leaders.  It is not nearly as implausible as it may seem.  After all, we celebrate today the most implausible of events: a small ragtag collection of colonies defeating the most powerful nation on Earth.  So, perhaps on this day we can all strive a bit harder to have a civil and respectful dialogue with those holding opposing views.  Americans love politics and today is a great day to debate the future of our country. However, it is also a day to remember what binds us rather than divides us as a nation.  Ok, enough preaching.  Now for the fun.

 

We will be having friends over today for hotdogs and hamburgers.  Aidan and I went out and bought enough fireworks to retake Mosul.  There could be rain tonight so we may have to wait for a break in the weather to launch.

The Fourth of July planning committee on the Mall is continuing its theme of “Wow, I cannot believe they are still alive” band selection.  This year will feature the Four Tops and the Beach Boys.    Just for the record, the Four Tops began performing in 1953.  This morning I asked the young lady at the check out counter if she had ever heard of either band.  The Four Tops was a total blank.  The Beach Boys was a historical reference but she had never heard any of their songs.  I have in a state of depression and self-loathing.  The bands will appropriately play amidst our Smithsonian museums to an audience composed of people (like me) who see them as ageless and people (like my kids) who see them as the singing undead.

Have a wonderful day and Happy Independence Day!

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

  3. Happy fourth JT, and everyone. You all represent the best of America to me, even when there is disagreement, we keep on truckin’ with one another. Have a blessed holiday.

  9. ” As democracy is perfected, the office of President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron” H. L. Mencken 1920.

    1. Well it’s a good thing and none too soon, that we abandoned that idea of perfecting a democracy last November. We are a republic, and while it will never be perfect, we can always strive to form a more perfect Union based on those republican (small r) principles.

      1. Democracy is part of a republic. The only truth you seem to know is as a nation we “abandoned” democracy. As for small r principles, their are none in the republican party today. If their were, it would be country over party. And I see no movement there.

        1. FishWings: So you are COMPLETELY against what Jonathan Turley wrote about in this post. Most everyone else has commented in the spirit of the piece, but you chime in with the familiar rant, assuring us that all of the blame is on one side. How sad you are.

          Just out of curiosity, will you be posting any of Mencken’s views on race?

        2. Democracy is part of a republic.

          It is nothing of the kind. democratic institutions are features of the state. They are neither confined to formal republics nor are democratic institution as the term was understood and is understood necessary features of a constitutional republic.

    2. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron” H. L. Mencken 1920.

      Mencken thought highly of himself and little of others. He gave frequent voice to this self-assessment. In that, he resembles most contemporary progressives.

      My favorite example was to be found in a book review in The Nation about 35 years ago, when the reviewer offered that Garry Wills efforts ‘to make Eisenhower sound bright’ were not credible. There you have it. Reach the flag ranks of the American military, direct the largest land invasion in history, preside over one of the most untroubled presidential administrations in history, spend 50-odd years building a marriage, raise a son who also reaches the flag ranks, and you earn supercilious jabs from some twit employed to write book reviews for a magazine that would have to cease publication were it not from subsidies from the editor’s wealthy wife.

      And who was Mencken? He was a childless bachelor who acquired a house-pet wife at the age of 50 (whom he took care of until her death 5 years later). He was an editor of magazines which had small staffs and required patrons. He was a reporter and commentator, work which requires a certain skill and flair but does not require that you manage or supervise anyone, much less that you meet payroll. He never, in his life, lived in any kind or agrarian setting or undertook work requiring trade skills. He never, in his life, wore a uniform. He had more schooling than most of his cohort, but was not a scholar. He was a man of some accomplishment. He was not a man of such accomplishment that the pretension he displayed was the least bit forgivable.

      1. dds – Eisenhower never led troops in combat, was selected because was a diplomat. He had a long-term affair with his driver in England and planned to bring her back to the US and divorce Mimi and marry her. However, Gen. Marshall told him if he did that he would be court-martialled. The driver was airbrushed out of several photos of her and Eisenhower.

        Ike was not squeaky clean. BTW, he did not plan D-Day, the British did, or Montgomery’s staff did. He over say it. Made the ultimate go decision and it was his head on the line if things went bad. Luckily for him, Hitler like to sleep in late.

        1. An author said that Truman said that Eisenhower said that he planned to divorce Mamie and marry Kay Summersby.
          The author got a best seller out of the book, published after Truman, Eisenhower, and Gen. Marshall were all dead.
          Historians generally require more substantiation/ documentation for an allegation put forward by an author who quotes one deceased President saying something about another what a deceased President/ General alkegedly told another deceased General ( Marshall), and what Marshall allegedly told Ike.

          1. At the time Eisenhower and Summersby were in Europe, Truman was a U.S. Senator from Missouri. This is Miller supposedly retailing what Truman supposedly recalled about Marshall telling him re Eisenhower.

            And, of course, the subsequent history is inconsistent with the account. (And other historians have said Miller’s contention is cock-and-bull).

        2. dds – Eisenhower never led troops in combat, was selected because was a diplomat.

          No, he came to the attention of his superiors in 1941 because his war plans were so impressive. (And he was a tetchy man, not a diplomat). He was never a field commander. The only time to do that during his lifetime prior to December of 1941 would have been during the 1st World War, when he was posted elsewhere.

          He had a long-term affair with his driver in England and planned to bring her back to the US and divorce Mimi and marry her. However, Gen. Marshall told him if he did that he would be court-martialled. The driver was airbrushed out of several photos of her and Eisenhower.

          He never had a ‘long-term’ affair with anyone, and no one ever contended he did. The notion he was planning to divorce his wife is a fiction propagated by Merle Miller. His secretary Kay Summersby contended 35 years after the fact she had a (non-sexual) affair with Eisenhower during their years in Europe. His son has said publicly that he and his mother chewed over Summersby’s memoir and concluded it was a self-aggrandizing fantasy. Mamie Eisenhower did not much care for Summersby at the time; some women are like that regardless of circumstances. BTW, his son was posted to his staff for a time and was around Summersby and his father on a daily basis.

          Both of your points are irrelevant, btw. Five-star generals do not need lessons from s*** ass book reviewers. They don’t need lessons even when they are banging their secretaries.

      2. One thing is clear, you don’t know your history about Ike. He was run over by the corporate in-trusts in his administration. And all of your word salad still does not disprove that Mencken was right. He saw Trump coming.

        1. What would Mencken have said about Obama? Check his writings on race to find out.

          Or you could just live in your selective-quoting bubble.

          One tip: beginning a sentence in the comments section of a blog with “One thing is clear…” always gives you away. And trust me, you don’t want that.

        2. One thing we do know is, is that nobody’s perfect. Even Jesus would have been charged with assault, battery, disorderly conduct, and destruction of property when he lit into the Goldman Sachs crowd at the Temple.

          Another thing we know is, that Democratic Shills and Partisans will dig like crap to find the speck in a Republican’s eye, and completely gloss over major defects in Democrats and liberals. Sooo, during Ike’s term in office, things were good in America, and people had jobs, and futures, and no major wars.

          During JFK and Johnson’s we had war, a Great Society Program which created the Institutionalized Illegitimacy® which destroyed the black community and effectively castrated 75% of the black men in the country, and the stage set for a declining economy with new government programs.

          The Republicans have their faults, but the Democrats far exceed them in damage to the society.

          Squeeky Fromm
          Girl Reporter

        3. One thing is clear, you don’t know your history about Ike.

          I know actual history. You know prefabricated phraseology (“ran over by corporate intrusts”) you get off websites and crap authors like Howard Zinn.

          1. I am going to steal your “Prefabricated Phraseology” thing! In return, you can use my Institutionalized Illegitimacy® thing free of charge if you want.

            Squeeky Fromm
            Girl Reporter

  10. Happy 4th of July everyone! 241 years ago the seeds of a new nation were planted. Our constitution and nation grew out of those seeds, those principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence. So much attention is given to our constitution but it is nothing without a understanding of the Declaration and the events leading to it. Abraham Lincoln said it best:

    Fragment on the Constitution and Union

    All this is not the result of accident. It has a philosophical cause. Without the Constitution and the Union, we could not have attained the result; but even these, are not the primary cause of our great prosperity. There is something back of these, entwining itself more closely about the human heart. That something, is the principle of “Liberty to all” — the principle that clears the path for all — gives hope to all — and, by consequence, enterprize, and industry to all.

    The expression of that principle, in our Declaration of Independence, was most happy, and fortunate. Without this, as well as with it, we could have declared our independence of Great Britain; but without it, we could not, I think, have secured our free government, and consequent prosperity. No oppressed, people will fight, and endure, as our fathers did, without the promise of something better, than a mere change of masters.

    The assertion of that principle, at that time, was the word, “fitly spoken” which has proved an “apple of gold” to us. The Union, and the Constitution, are the picture of silver, subsequently framed around it. The picture was made, not to conceal, or destroy the apple; but to adorn, and preserve it. The picture was made for the apple — not the apple for the picture.

    So let us act, that neither picture, or apple shall ever be blurred, or bruised or broken.

    That we may so act, we must study, and understand the points of danger.

  12. Happy Fourth of July, everyone! (But especially to you and your family, Professor Turley)! I’m happy to hear The Beach Boys and Four Tops are playing on the mall! They’re iconic and at least they’re American! I took my family to D.C. For the 4th when Bush W was president. I expected to see the military marching bands and soldiers of my childhood on army posts. Instead, we saw wave after wave of foreign performances – Brazilian dancers, etc. All culminating in a Hari-Krishna shrine-like float. It made me so sad. I love my country and I’m not ashamed to admit it! God bless the USA!

  13. We defeated the friggin Brits. We do not have an ugly Queeny. We have a Constitution and a Bill of Rights. We have people who bill on the right and folks who are right on the left of the bill. Whether its righty or lefty it is those in the muddle who hope to keep us out of the muddle east. Bring the tropps home. No more war. Don’t hurry on down to Vietnam. Its one, two, three we shouldn’t have to shoot no more. We dont need to open the Pearly Gates. We don’t need Bill Gates. We need Harry Truman. Give em Hell Harry! Happy 4th. Don’t blow any dead rats.

  15. That is indeed the essence of the goal of this country and humanity in general, to surface everything from extreme to extreme in order to sort it out. It’s been 240 years or so, getting better, ‘What a long strange trip it’s been.’

  16. God Bless and Protect the men and woman of all our services and law enforcement members who place their lives at risk for us to enjoy this day.

  18. mikepouraryan, I don’t know how long you’ve been here. But, 5 years ago there was little civil discourse here. JT made some tough decisions and moves, showing some nasty folks the door. But, they have paid off in creating a much more civil place to discuss.issues.

    1. Plus, there is a lot more two-sided conversations. Before, a poster would pop out some article straight out of the DNC Talking Points Committee, and there would be echos, and echos, and echos. Now, the articles are much less partisan, and both sides of the argument get heard.

      Squeeky Fromm
      Girl Reporter

  19. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!! STILL GOING STRONG – DESPITE THE EFFORTS OF THE LAST 8 YEARS!

    1. You missed the point of Mr.Turley’s post . July 4th- remembering the days of civility, and what we have in COMMON, not what divides
      Happy 4th..

      1. I didn’t miss the point. Liberalism sucks and I’m so happy this country is rid of the Muslim Marxist. Ain’t the First Amendment grand?

        1. Barrack HUSSEIN Obama was the greatest President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces since Harry S. Truman. Bank that.

          This is to woefully uninformed laurie.

          1. Barrack HUSSEIN Obama was the greatest President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces since Harry S. Truman. Bank that.

            The only part of that opinion that is bankable is the word was. You made the exact same comment yesterday as well. Please continue to post that opinion daily and I will gratefully continue to make the same deposit. Happy 4th of July to our republic. 😎

            1. Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, most wonderful person I’ve ever met in my life.
              Bank that.
              Maybe a deprogrammer can shake Mark M. from his repetative autopilot stupor.
              Captain Marco was able to get back to reality on his own, but a deprogrammer might be necessary here when an Obama cultist becomes an automaton/parrot.

              1. LOL, bet you half the folks don’t know who Raymond Shaw aka Lawrence Harvey is. Love that movie with Old Blue Eyes.

            2. Not identical. Yesterday I didn’t ALL CAP the President Obama’s middle name. I did so today for entertainment purposes.

              1. Hadn’t noticed as the only bankable word in your post was WAS.

                Thanks for effort though; it was hilariously pathetic. 🤣

              2. Mark M.,,
                I have to admit that your statement about Obama was hilarious, and I do appreciate the humor.
                Please disregar
                d my previous comments, when I thought that you were actually serious about your ludicrous claims about the Obama presidency.

                1. The entertainment to which I referred was the HUSSEIN middle name, which pokes all the closet klansmen here with a stick through their little cages, right in the eye.

                  To tnash

              1. Yalu River.
                It firmed the border between China and North Korea.
                MacArthur wanted to cross the Yalu to attack China, and insisted on authorization to use nuclear weapons in against the Chinese.
                Truman sought to avoid a nuclear exchange with the Soviets; they were backing the Chinese and North Koreans, and also had nukes.
                Truman lost patience with MacArthur’s press conferences, publically demanding that his Commander-in-Cheic give him carte blanche in the conduct of the war.
                There’s a ton of good material about the Truman-MacArthur feud, and Truman’s firing of MacArthur.

                1. Olly,
                  I think Triman was willing to listen to MacArthur.
                  What really seemed to piss him off was MacArthur’s tendency to “advise” Truman via interviews with reporters.
                  If they’d disagreed in private, I don’t think things would have played out the same way.
                  ( A public, controversial dismissal by Truman).

  20. Thank you Professor..same to you and the entire JT Community–we have some vibrant discussions at times (and yes disagreements)…but it is in the spirit of what our founders envisioned…….appreciate all that you do to help elevate the discourse….

Comments are closed.