【热夏生活随笔】My take on the 4th of July

r
renqiulan
楼主 (文学城)

As a U.S. citizen, I feel obliged to search for the meaning of the U.S. citizenship which is, of course, a historical and historic product of the 4th of July, 1776. Meanwhile, history is a product of collective wisdom and folly (not necessarily in that order). Individual? No individual can make history without interacting with other individuals. 


Collectively our founding fathers literally signed their own death warrant, otherwise known as the Declaration of Independence, in the face of a global superpower, namely, the British Empire. But that did not deter them from leading their people, after losing 25,000 of them in the revolutionary war, to officially launch the U.S. Constitution on March 4, 1789.


Under this Constitution, a unique American regime was designed to defeat aspiring dictators with a deliberate system of check-and-balance. Patriotism is skepticism, meaning that people are united not behind their political leaders. Instead, people are united behind their political belief that politicians tend to corrupt if given too much power. People are also united to make life more difficult for the power that be. Washington, D.C., was and still is a swamp, politically speaking. That was and still is the public perception.


Complain all you want about how inefficient the U.S. government is, but our unique system works. Imagine today's world without the United States of America.



Author: renqiulan

 

A
AP33912
国庆评论,a good piece, without the U.S., no iphone almist for sure,
s
shuier
It is late but not too late to wish you a happy 4th of July.
r
renqiulan
Thank you, AP! Happy 4th of July!
r
renqiulan
Right, it isn't too late to wish you a happy 4th of July.
A
AP33912
and 德国almost likely 第一強国 (也没联合国)。美国是经济,军事与精神领袖。
s
shuier
Here, at this hour I can still hear firecrackers.
A
AP33912
水儿,节日快乐!
r
renqiulan
Meanwhile, the U.S. remains a magnet for immigrants.
A
AP33912
Canada also open arms welcoming pp worldwide , especially with s
r
renqiulan
You must be hearing multiple crackling or sizzling sounds.
r
renqiulan
Neither Canada nor the U.S. can prosper without immigrants.
s
shuier
阿普独立日愉快!
s
shuier
Exactly. But that's OK with me.
r
renqiulan
It's past your bedtime, young lady!
s
shuier
It's past your bedtime, young man!
r
renqiulan
I AM SERIOUS!
s
shuier
QUIT IT!
s
shuier
I know you meant to be brief but I still have issues.
r
renqiulan
Such as?
s
shuier
Such as the role of government in people's lives.
r
renqiulan
The less the better. Small is beautiful.
s
shuier
A small government. I get that. Why not a big government?
r
renqiulan
Why a big government?
s
shuier
People feel more secure in a welfare state.
r
renqiulan
I think you're talking about Western Europe.
s
shuier
Yes, I am.
r
renqiulan
You have lived in Western Europe for a while.
s
shuier
I remember I told you about my stay in Paris.
r
renqiulan
水儿 in Paris! Did you find young Hemingway's hangout?
s
shuier
I did. Now, tell me why a welfare state isn't good enough.
r
renqiulan
What has happened to Paris lately?
s
shuier
Not good. It's a riot. Paris is quite used to riots.
r
renqiulan
Let me ask you why France is a NATO member.
s
shuier
France was initially reluctant to join NATO.
r
renqiulan
But France did join NATO, didn't it?
s
shuier
Yes, for collective security.
r
renqiulan
Which power underwrites NATO?
s
shuier
OK, the U.S.
r
renqiulan
Time to call it a night.
s
shuier
Goodnight!
唐宋韵
不寄希望一个国家不犯错误,而是寄希望她的纠错能力。
吃素的狼
The founding fathers laid the great foundation of the

country, and the people who follow cannot liestill, but continue to fight for democracy and freedom.

For yourself, your family, your conmunity, your country, and the world.

老键
Really like your interpretation of patriotism. Well said!
l
lovecat08
早安,书香。秋兰昨晚上,尽到一个美国公民的义务了。。。。。。
花似鹿葱
小R早安!短文言简意赅。涉及两个概念,“爱国”,“团结”,很值得深思和讨论的话题
r
renqiulan
对。谢谢唐宋君!制度利于多元化。美国纠正奴役黑人这个千古大错,还是需要一场比美国革命惨烈许多的南北內战。
r
renqiulan
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extincti
r
renqiulan
Let me quote Ronald Reagan. Thank you, 吃素的狼!
r
renqiulan
Thank you, 老键先生!Indeed, we're patriotic skeptics.
r
renqiulan
谢谢猫姐!“为人民服务!”
r
renqiulan
谢谢花姐精准解读拙文!
寒苇
Right on.
寒苇
True. I am one of them.
寒苇
Haha!
寒苇
That's an issue.
寒苇
Interesting.
寒苇
Paris!
寒苇
Was it a sidewalk café?
寒苇
罗马共和时代的奴隶制度在美国重现,是与屠杀非武装印第安人同样是不可接受的。
寒苇
I like Reagan's quote.
寒苇
Me too.
寒苇
Haha!
寒苇
True.
寒苇
同感。
s
shuier
"Imagine today's world without the United States of America"
寒苇
水儿, what are you thinking?
s
shuier
Wei Wei, it would be utterly depressing w/o America around.
寒苇
Would you care to elaborate a little bit?
s
shuier
What kind of superpower would replace America?
寒苇
Should America fall, an anti-American superpower would rise.
s
shuier
Wouldn't it be a scary scenario?
寒苇
The American spirit might somehow survive.
s
shuier
You always live with some silver linings.
寒苇
Because I'm determined to look on the bright side.
s
shuier
Good for you.
寒苇
And for you.
r
renqiulan
水儿, check this out: "The Accidental Superpower" by P. Zeihan
s
shuier
Thank you! I'll.