Next week we will celebrate America.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll \u201cmmm\u201d as we chow down on hotdogs; we\u2019ll \u201cooh\u201d as we gaze up at fireworks.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll sing \u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner,\u201d hum \u201cGod Bless America,\u201d and whistle Sousa tunes.\t<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll salute our flag, wave our flag, and pin it to the chests of our red, white and blue shirts.<\/p>\n
Come evening, we\u2019ll let designated drivers take the wheel when we find we\u2019ve been overly enthusiastic in celebrating the spacious skies, purple mountains, fruited plains, hop fields, and vineyards that are the land we call home, sweet home.<\/p>\n
Nothing wrong with any of that.<\/p>\n
But let\u2019s not imagine we have enjoyed a nutritious meal of high-protein patriotism when, in fact, what we\u2019ve enjoyed is more like a glut of cotton candy patriotism.<\/p>\n
Perhaps, this Fourth would be a good time for all of us to bring out (browse to?) a copy of our Constitution; a good time for us to refresh our memories; a good time for us to reflect.<\/p>\n
Perhaps we could take time to discuss what our Bill of Rights means to us and why it\u2019s important.<\/p>\n
Perhaps we could ponder the one and only thing we can rightfully ask men and women in our military to put their lives on the line for. If you\u2019ve forgotten what that one thing is, try Googling \u201cU.S. military oath of office.\u201d Hint: It has nothing to do with \u201cprotecting American interests,\u201d and it has little to do with keeping Americans safe from terrorists.<\/p>\n
Perhaps we could also take time to discuss the ways the PATRIOT Act and the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, despite their lofty names, are being used to undermine our Constitution and our freedoms.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, such discussions might be unsettling. Worse yet, they might require a small effort.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, there\u2019s a happier, simpler alternative:<\/p>\n
We can remind ourselves that our enemies hate us for our freedoms. Once our freedoms have been taken from us, our enemies will think we are wonderful. We will all be friends.<\/p>\n
What a fab Fourth that will be. Just picture it in your mind\u2019s eye: A small (small, small, small) world living in peace and harmony, while a star-spangled banner waves o\u2019er the land of the safe and the home of the brave \u2014 a glorious land where, from sea to shining sea, happy people safely celebrate America under the watchful eye of benevolent Big Brother. <\/p>\n
God bless America.<\/p>\n
Dan Pietsch Next week we will celebrate America. We\u2019ll \u201cmmm\u201d as we chow down on hotdogs; we\u2019ll \u201cooh\u201d as we gaze up at fireworks. We\u2019ll sing \u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner,\u201d hum \u201cGod Bless America,\u201d and whistle Sousa tunes. We\u2019ll salute our flag, wave our flag, and pin it to the chests of our red, white and blue shirts. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"amp_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nIdyllwild<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"