Some two hundred thirty years after the signing of our final draft of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, most people have forgotten “why” we shoot off fireworks to celebrate Independence Day.  Most people think that it has to do with the Battle at Fort Henry, and Francis Scott Key’s dramatization of “bombs bursting in air” in our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.
     However, the truth is even more simple.

     By 1776, Fireworks had been used at important events for hundreds of years.  In fact, it was John Adams who made them into the tradition which has withstood the test of time.  In a letter to his wife, he wrote:

I believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival… it ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other…

     During the first Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia in 1777, the public reading of the Declaration was complemented by bells, candles, cannons and firecrackers. 
     In succeeding years, celebrations increased, but it was only in 1941 that Congress finally declared Independence Day an official Federal Holiday.  It was probably during that time that the use of Fireworks first became misinterpreted as student textbooks were updated.

     However, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the sentiment that Fireworks are representative of guns and bombs.  On this day, we should all remember the tyranny this country left behind, and the devastation that followed after the years of war.

     We would do well to remember how our forefathers fought and died in order for us to attain our Freedom, remembering that the road to Freedom was paved with the blood of those who fought for it.
     But we should also remember that this is a day to be celebrated, not mourned.  It is a day to thumb our noses at tyranny.  It is a day to remember that we are one country, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

     Happy Fourth of July, America.

     Media has reported over and over that the Flag Protection Amendment passed by the House and faces an “uphill battle in the Senate.”  They’ve claimed that this bill seeks to amend the Constitution and ban the burning of the US Flag.
     This is yet another load of horse-puckey by a media who are too stupid and lazy to investigate facts or give fair and balanced opinion about anything.

     Senate Joint Resolution 12 is a very simple, seventeen word statement:

The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.

     This amendment only gets rid of the Constitutional hurdle which has prevented Congress from passing anti-Flag Burning legislation before.  It doesn’t make anything illegal.
     Senators and Legislators who have come on Television decrying the Resolution simply have not read it.
     There is also a widespread belief that this is a Republican supported bill, which also cannot be further from the truth.  As it stands, it is a purely bipartisan measure, with as many people decrying it on either side of the political fence.

     Basically what we’ve ended up with is yet another bullshit stall tactic, where Congress is attempting to give itself a little more power, and wasting a lot of money and air time, when they’re not actually doing anything.  They’ve just secured their seats, and given themselves the power to debate another hot-button issue, which will most assuredly fail over and over again anyway.

     Swanky pointed out two polarized views about the flag.  Some people see it as a symbol of our Freedom and Democracy.  Others see it as reminder of the people who died to protect our Freedom and Democracy.  It’s both: Thirteen stripes representing the original colonies, alternating White for our innocence and purity and Red for the blood of those fought defending it, and a field of Blue with Stars to represent our fifty states in a night-time constellation.  I don’t foresee myself ever burning a flag.  But it’s good to live in a country that would allow me to do it.

     But… all this talk about Flag Burning is secondary to the real issue.
     This is a test case, where Congress is attempting to remove a legal barrier mandated by the Supreme Court and see if anyone will notice.  If successful, it opens the door for them to do it a few more times for good measure!
     Thus, I am firmly against the Resolution.  I’m firmly against Congress dictating its own power, and have nothing but contempt when they attempt to pass legislation for no other reason than to give themselves more things to do in the future.  It’s a waste of time and money that could be better spent fixing things that are actually wrong.

     I always enjoy listening to stories about peoples’ Military experiences.  Everyone has a few things from their time served that stick out in their mind, whether good or bad.  They always make for interesting footnotes in history, especially where given events were overlooked or misinterpreted several years down the line.

     I’ve always had a special fascination with military aviation, which probably had a lot to do with the fact that my father was a Navy veteran back in the 60’s.  A few years ago, I started helping him build an online community for VF-14 so that he and his friends could keep in touch.
     My father worked on F-4 Phantoms back then.  In the 70’s, they were replaced with the multi-roled F-14 Tomcat.  All in all, the Tomcat was just a cool-looking plane.  It was fast and maneuverable, and sported one of the most versatile payloads the Navy had, allowing it to be a formidable air-to-air fighter on the front lines and an even more formidable surgical bomber when the mission called for it.

     A few years ago, the Navy decided to retire the F-14 Tomcat, opting for the inferior F-18 Hornet, which is not only slower, but has far less payload and flexibility.  That decision has brought a lot of Tomcat-era veterans out of the woodwork, with blogs and photos, reminiscing about the “good ol’ days” of the F-14.
     Of course, there are few stories of chaos and mayhem as well.  On the 18th, Pinch detailed one of those not-so-good days back in November, 1988, complete with flight deck video and photos.  Fortunately, no one was injured.  Still, I can’t help but feel bad seeing that Tomcat with its nose ripped off, and wondering what happened to Hooter because of it…

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”
— George S. Patton

Thumbs-up for Pinch.

Sixty-four years ago, today, President Roosevelt stood before Congress pleading for a Declaration of a State of War against Japan. The reason was simple: in a single day, December 7th, 1941, Japan had mobilized and attacked Malaya, Hong Kong, Guam, the Phillipines, Wake and Midway Islands, and, certainly not least, Pearl Harbor. Though we watched the Western Pacific with interest, it seemed improbable that anything should happen in Hawaii.

Thus was our entrance into World War II, on December 8th, 1941. On December 11th, 1941, War was declared against Germany and Italy after they had declared against us earlier in the day.

There aren’t many veterans left from that war, the youngest being eighty years old, but there are still a few you can find who are more than happy to share their stories. Those stories, in their words, certainly mean a lot more than the watered-down accounts in most history books. 

I read an interesting article by the father of a Marine on-leave, who relayed the sentiments of his son:

[According to said Marine] morale among our guys is very high. They not only believe they are winning, but that they are winning decisively. They are stunned and dismayed by what they see in the American press, whom they almost universally view as against them. The embedded reporters are despised and distrusted. They are inflicting casualties at a rate of 20-1 and then see shit like “Are we losing in Iraq” on TV and the print media. 

Today’s the day that we’re supposed to be thinking about all of our Veterans, and about those who are currently deployed. That speaks volumes.

And you can’t argue with it.

For all your sacrifices, guys and gals from past to present, I, for one, Salute you. Thanks for being there and doing what needs to be done.