"...Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"
I wrote this yesterday, you'll have to forgive the lateness of the actual post.
The title comes from perhaps the most stirring speech ever delivered in any movie, at least as far as I'm concerned:
"Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. "Mankind." That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight!" We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"
It's a big quote. One that should have meaning whether or not we have blood drinking E.T.s at our gates.
One that we should remember and live by EVERY DAY. Not just those that we find we are beset upon.
One world, one fight. One person is worth the battle.
Happy Independence Day, everyone.
What a beautiful day it should be, but what does this day mean anymore?
Why do YOU celebrate it?
Is it just another holiday?
Is it just an excuse to get with friends and family and light fireworks? Or for some of you brave few, is it still a means of celebrating our continuing freedom?
And from what?
The Brittish have become our allies.
The redcoats are legendary tourist attractions, only, so what are we free from? There's no longer any need to fear the dictators of foreign soils that we began this holiday for.
How about on the home front?
What about the vices of humanity?
I appreciate and respect the freedom of choice as much as the next person, but what are we doing with it?
Do you know that people use that logic as a means of solely pleasure? "I want to O.D. before I'm 23 so I die young and beautiful." Such poetry from one so intent on her own suicide. One of my treasured friends wrote this in a journal of hers. Is this the new American dream that we have always heard so much about?
Let's not make war, hell, let's not even make peace anymore. Let us just shoot up, get drunk and fuck 'till nothing is left then we can O.D., right?
This is the freedom of choice that we share?
This is what MILLIONS of valiant warriors died for?
Am I the only one that believes in finding hapiness other than in the end of a needle or the tip of a knife? That spilling the blood of my own or the blood of others, that spending my days in some sort of toxin induced stupor should bring happiness? Of course not. So why do we do it? Why don't we do more about it?
Why is being dead at 23 an amiable goal?
How can that even come to your mind?
I suppose our society is so callous now and vain that not only does it spawn these thoughts, it almost finds them acceptable.
Why?
I don't understand what makes you think these things.
You want to know why I'm alien? Why I keep to myself?
Look around you. Look closely at your friends just once.
Look at the choices they make and ask yourself why.
Why do they do that?
Why do YOU do that?
Just a little bit of analysis and subjectiveness.
Just a little bit.
What is so important that you would give all for it?
Your vanity is so important that you would die for it?
Your happiness is so important that you would rather die than hurt?
Your love is so important that you would lose your self-respect, your sense of self, your identity and your values for it?
Have a little bit of strength. That's the rarity these days.
Step back, look. Analyze why what you want is important. What you are giving up instead of gaining.
Or is our sense of worth so wacked these days that you can't tell?
Independence.
What does that mean to you?
I choose a life free from the vices of humanity. At least as much as I can manage.
I choose to do what I feel is right as long as I'm able.
I'm sorry that we won't see eye-to-eye.
Let me know how that treats you, will you?
posted by A_Shadow at
7/05/2006 09:56:00 PM
2 Comments:
indeed, many a point on this in which we can agree. I had to write a paper on this point, how we are all different, somewhat similiar and at the same time the same.
What does humanity do with comfort? With rights?
Why does it seem we are all regressing?
Even so.
I can't claim much patriotism these days. I have many doubts about the current use of this system and how the people a VERY LARGE BODY OF THE GOVERNMENT abuse their position.
I can only claim to have patriotism when I look further into the ideals on which this country is founded on.
I fear that the hopes that the fathers of this country had, dwindle more and more so with every passing year.
7/09/2006 02:37:00 AM
I suppose that would depend on your definitions of Patriotism, wouldn't it?
Nationalism and Patriotism are oft discussed and argued about in history classes that deal with the wars of ol'.
I have always defined Patriotism as the sort of love for one's country that equates to an almost parental love. Yes, you love and support your country, but in a third party sense that allows you to be objective about it and still see the wrong inherent there and want to change it.
The founding fathers were Patriots of England, believe it or not. They recognized the unfairness of it all and tried to change it for a great while before the war, when that failed, war began.
Then take for instance the recipricol - Nationalism. Nationalism is oft seen as a dirty word when taken to the extremes, but it has it's place. Nationalism is usually seen as a drive that "My country is the best country in the world, and there's nothing you can say about that." Nationalism often comes played with the race card, especially when the nation only has the one race. Examples of this would be found in the Middle East these days.
I can't argue that I haven't heard these talks with modern Americans. We have become a very nationalistic people. I do believe that we are the best country in the world, or at least have the potential to be the Utopia that everyone dreams of.
I don't make the mistake of nationalists thinking that we are already perfect, however. I see the wrongs, and I see the rights. I won't hate you for disagreeing that the country has room to grow, because I realize it myself.
You CAN be a Patriot and still have issues with the current administration. Believe it or not, the Administration ISN'T this country. They just represent it for 4-8 years and then we can move in a different direction all together.
7/09/2006 12:24:00 PM
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