Americans to celebrate Fourth of July with parades, cookouts — and lots of fireworks

It's nice they celebrate the end of their civil war.

The Franco- American alliance secured the Yorktown victory that lead to signing of Paris treaty. Independence was finally achieved.

Happy Birthday America.

Another wonderful thing about being an expat is avoiding this wearing-patriotism-on-your-sleeve love fest. And having worked at Disneyland, I've seen enough fireworks for several lifetimes.

For people who travel outside their own country, that travel provides a view of the superficial good and bad back home.

Americans like to party. We like a day off from work. We like to celebrate all the members of our military who help democracy around the world, mostly for the good of others (though not always).

For people living in the US, the 4th of July is mostly about celebrating a fake birthday for the country by doing things with family and friends outside, on a very hot day, where we eat too much, drink lots of cold beverages, often get sunburned, stuck in traffic, and let the kids learn about fireworks safety, as they grow up.

A few years ago, my state changed their fairly restrictive fireworks laws to make it so that almost anything can be used for your personal display without risk of the fire marshal coming and writing a ticket. Firecrackers that will numb some fingers for days are sold here now - like they were when I was a kid many decades ago. It has been really hot and dry here, so fire hazards are an issue for today. My family doesn't do personal fireworks, but 1 street over, a retired Marine does a huge display every year. He still raises and lowers his American flag daily to show his personal beliefs. We don't do any flags, but a few of our neighbors do. Next door flies both a US flag and a Ukrainian flag. In theory, the Ukrainian flag is against the neighborhood rules, but I don't think anyone will complain ... ever.

BTW, the 4th of July isn't about a civil war. It is about forcing the British out of the American States. Sorta like what we all hoped Hong Kong would do and what Taiwan already did. Of course, the British had a much harder time due to logistics at that time. 6 weeks to sail across the Atlantic ocean is a long supply line to maintain.

Where I live, there is a huge 10km race, so the Ethiopians and Kenyans will be running this morning along with 50,000 others. The Peachtree Road Race is a pretty big deal. People train for this event for months. https://www.atlantatrackclub.org/news/elite-athlete-fields-set-for-55th-running-of-ajc-peachtree-road-race

BTW, the 4th of July isn't about a civil war.

No? You might find it was more of a civil war than the popular conception.

happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July USA!

MAGA!

You might find it was more of a civil war than the popular conception.

Americans wouldn't find that at all.

Another wonderful thing about being an expat is avoiding this wearing-patriotism-on-your-sleeve love fest. And having worked at Disneyland, I've seen enough fireworks for several lifetimes.

Well, this American will proudly wear on this great day my MAGA hat, with a flag in front of my house, red, white, and blue memorabilia, and some fantastic BBQ. Happy 4th America!!

The MAGA team has warped what it means to be an American for the worse. They support lying, criminals, who think winning at any cost is acceptable over a political difference. They like to wave the flag, then ignore the laws and documents that setup our imperfect country.

Remember, the US Constitution was intended as a short-term document with most of those who signed it expecting a re-write would be needed every 20 yrs as times changed. The idea of political parties was expected, but not to the extent they've taken over.

The MAGA team has warped what it means to be an American for the worse. They support lying, criminals,

If that is the case then why are Biden's numbers going down?

who think winning at any cost is acceptable over a political difference.

We see that as we speak with what the Dems are doing.

They like to wave the flag, then ignore the laws and documents that setup our imperfect country.

No, we love the constitution and the laws of the nation, we believe in the 1st and 2nd Amendments, we believe in closed borders and sovereignty, and we believe in backing our police and the rule of law.

Remember, the US Constitution was intended as a short-term document with most of those who signed it expecting a re-write would be needed every 20 yrs as times changed. The idea of political parties was expected, but not to the extent they've taken over.

So how do you explain California and NY then?

Wimbledon fans chanting USA! USA! for Ben Shelton.

It's nice they celebrate the end of their civil war.

Please educate yourself more on world history. It wasn't the US civil war. It was a war for the American colonies to free themselves from British colonial rule... also known in the US as the "War of Independence" fought between the years of 1775-1783.

The US "Civil War" where southern states of the US seceded from the US in order to keep their "ways" and maintain slavery and oppression was fought between 1861-1865.

For my fellow Americans. HAPPY 4th of July!

I pray that all remember the sacrifices, and fighting done by those who came far before us to have the rights and freedoms we have today. Please remember that we must not only know our actual rights (and not make choices based on perceived rights), but know our responsibilities to keep our rights upheld and sound, and also respect that the rights of other Americans should not be violated either no matter how much we may have political disagreements. All are created equal!

Americans wouldn't find that at all.

Only because they wouldn't want to. People believe what they want to believe, rather than based on evidence. And propaganda is happy to prey on that.

It's nice they celebrate the end of their civil war.

Yes, the one between the slave traders and the slave owners. The slave owners won.

Please educate yourself more on world history.

Or, alternatively, you educate yourself more on US history.

Americans to celebrate Fourth of July with parades, cookouts — and lots of fireworks

And shootings..

It's like a party aboard the Titanic..

Happy birthday to the indispensable nation!!!

TokyoLivingToday  08:11 am JST

Americans to celebrate Fourth of July with parades, cookouts — and lots of fireworks

And shootings..

It's like a party aboard the Titanic..

Better shootings than a corrupt single party.

MoonrakerJuly 4  02:43 pm JST

It's nice they celebrate the end of their civil war.

A totally justified civil war based on lack of representation. I would say almost all independences come about through civil war (inb4 Taiwan didn't have a civil war. Yes it did, in 1911).

A totally justified civil war based on lack of representation.

Maybe you are right. I am not arguing whether the war was justified or not; only that it was a civil war. There were loyalists and people who changed sides multiple times. In some places family members fought each other over it. Many people were making a living out of staying British. And not many native Americans wanted to become "American". The subsequent ideology is one of practically unified opposition to British rule and widespread delight when they were defeated (with French and Spanish assistance). But, of course, any nation needs a unifying story that people can invest in but it doesn't make it any less of a story. In the end, it is all designed so the masses will pay their taxes, fight in the army and do as they are told.

MoonrakerToday  01:44 pm JST

A totally justified civil war based on lack of representation.

Maybe you are right. I am not arguing whether the war was justified or not; only that it was a civil war. There were loyalists and people who changed sides multiple times. In some places family members fought each other over it. Many people were making a living out of staying British. And not many native Americans wanted to become "American". The subsequent ideology is one of practically unified opposition to British rule and widespread delight when they were defeated (with French and Spanish assistance). But, of course, any nation needs a unifying story that people can invest in but it doesn't make it any less of a story. In the end, it is all designed so the masses will pay their taxes, fight in the army and do as they are told.

In Europe and elsewhere, people had annoying noblemen repressing them with few legal protections. In general, nationalism is a 19th century invention and tended to involve at least some new basic rights.

Ho Ho Ho happy Independence Day!

In Europe and elsewhere, people had annoying noblemen repressing them with few legal protections. In general, nationalism is a 19th century invention and tended to involve at least some new basic rights.

I am not disagreeing with you. And nationalism was taken up enthusiastically by the United States to unify a disparate people and states. Part of that was a re-editing of this civil war narrative and a concentration on the military and its exploits, with that war as the beginning: the military is a central pillar to US identity. All countries need an ideology because very few are actually uniform and all have a new elite that wants to get its way or an old one that clings on somehow.

And shootings..

Large Chinese firecrackers

It's like a party aboard the Titanic..

Minus the sinking part

MoonrakerToday  02:27 pm JST

In Europe and elsewhere, people had annoying noblemen repressing them with few legal protections. In general, nationalism is a 19th century invention and tended to involve at least some new basic rights.

I am not disagreeing with you. And nationalism was taken up enthusiastically by the United States to unify a disparate people and states. Part of that was a re-editing of this civil war narrative and a concentration on the military and its exploits, with that war as the beginning: the military is a central pillar to US identity. All countries need an ideology because very few are actually uniform and all have a new elite that wants to get its way or an old one that clings on somehow.

Certain other countries put their military on full display at least once a year. That's much worse than the US narrative. And if the US narrative were focussed on the military, we wouldn't have such a problem with recruitment. No, the US narrative is based on freedom and prosperity, however much we may struggle to achieve those.

I’m gonna slap aside my politics for a bit and just go ahead and agree with everything Taiwonisnotchina has said in this thread.

Whada country!!!!

Maybe you are right. I am not arguing whether the war was justified or not; only that it was a civil war.

Your analysis is entirely correct in that it was a civil war, but it was also a war of independence - the two aren't mutually exclusive. About a quarter of residents of the colonists were on the Loyalist side, but were outnumbered by those who supported independence.

The idea that it was a revolution of all Americans against redcoats is an easy historical myth.

And even more kept their heads down and didn't support either.

Certain other countries put their military on full display at least once a year. That's much worse than the US narrative.

Sure they do. But ideologies are not mutually exclusive. Just because one puts their military central to their identity doesn't mean others can't too. The UK does too. The military has a role in every ceremony and national celebration. It's not important what current recruitment is now - it's likely the same in many "developed" countries - to the ideological narrative. Freedom and prosperity may be part of the ideology too - military is one central pillar, I said, pertinent to the civil war and its ideological aftermath. As you point out, repeated ad nauseum though freedom and prosperity are, they may not be part of the overall reality but they are good slogans. And Americans can be brought to believe that is what they uphold, even as there is little social mobility and freedom only in certain defined ways.

Thank you, Ah_so. Conversely, there was considerable support within Britain for American independence too on the grounds of Enlightenment era ideals. Thomas Paine is remembered as one of the instigators.