It's "Independence" Day

I am not an Independence Day fan. In fact, I hate the day (and those surrounding it) for the constant sound of explosions that jar my nerves and send my dogs into a panic. I never have understood why "blowing things up" was such a big fascination - nor why it has anything to do with celebrating anything. But I do have some other thoughts on Independence Day.

I can't help but wonder how those who fought to free the colonies from British control might feel about the state of our union. Would they approve of the empire the U.S. has so diligently tried to create? Would they approve of the new controls and restrictions placed on the nation they fought to create?

Since a major concern in the creation of the United States was to escape the hegemony of corporations, how would they feel about the current power and influence of the corporation - politically and economically?

Those who fought in the American Revolution likely fought for a number of reasons - including economic. At that point a major issue was "taxation without representation." remember the Boston Tea Party?

I'm sure that Britain saw these folks as "terrorists" and "insurgents." I wonder how they saw themselves. Would they have sympathy and affinity for others so labeled today? Or, was their vision limited to their own struggle? How would they feel about pre-emptive war? And how would they feel about the "insurgents" in Iraq?

I don't have a time machine, but I have a sneaking suspicion that they might be pretty disappointed with where we have ended up.