July 4th Celebrations
I’ve been mulling over Linda’s email this morning and the decidedly mixed bag regarding the conception, birth, and growth of the country.
My fondest memory of July 4th celebrations comes from 1988 when we were on sabbatical in Boston. We spent the whole day on the Charles River Esplanade, along with every other family in Boston, who were generously spread out on blankets, throwing frisbees, and strumming guitars. A beautifully diverse gathering. The Boston Pops played the 1812 Overture (go figure) with synchronized cannons, and the fireworks were stunning. The subway was running a special late schedule just for the 4th to get everyone in the mingling crowds home.
In 2019 my fondness for July 4th celebrations was permanently poisoned with Trump’s fascist military parade bullshit. You remember that? This morning I went back to the contemporary news reporting at the time.
The prelude was Trump’s dream of a parade in 2018 and he started fighting with the military over a July 4th or Veterans Day date. They eventually settled on Veterans Day. But just like the infamous “Infrastructure Week” meme, it never happened.
President Donald Trump’s lofty vision of big tanks, vintage aircraft and modern fighter jets swooping through the streets of Washington in a show of patriotic force crumbled Friday under the weight of logistics, including a $92 million estimated price tag.
But if, at first, you don’t succeed. In 2019 Trump managed to pull off a scaled down version, the “Salute to America”. And, Oh!, there were tanks! But, it turns out, tanks tear up city roads. Who knew? So five tanks sat off to the side hidden around the stage. But they were great tanks!
“… we have the brand-new Sherman tanks and we have the brand-new Abrams tanks,” Trump added.
In passing, I should point out, the M4 Sherman tank was used in World War II and the M1 Abrams entered service in the 1980s.
The National Park Service shelled out $2.5 million for this (non-)extravaganza. On the bright side, he made a lot of money selling tickets to the event. So, those National Park entrance fees you’d been paying? Diverted to GOP donors for the “Salute to America” grift.
And, of course, Trump gave his special speech focused on military history:
“The Continental Army suffered a bitter winter of Valley Forge, found glory across the waters of the Delaware and seized victory from Cornwallis of Yorktown,” Trump said, before things went off the rails. “Our Army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over airports, it did everything it had to do. And at Fort McHenry, under the rockets’ red glare, had nothing but victory. When dawn came, the star-spangled banner waved defiant.”
Fittingly, it was dumping rain that day. On Trump’s speech that is, not necessarily the day the Continental Army took over the airports.