MOTUS A.D.: It Took 240 Years But Now Even the Brits Understand Independence Day

Monday, July 4, 2016

It Took 240 Years But Now Even the Brits Understand Independence Day

Like all of your favorite radio/teevee hosts I’m doing a “best of” today. I hope you enjoy my 2016 4th of July retrospective:

Happy Birthday America!

From 2010: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

These founding documents were designed and declared with full knowledge of human nature and complete understanding of the soul’s tendencies. The result was the formation of a more perfect union which has stood the test of time in no small part due to the wisdom of these founders who crafted a near sacred separation of powers within the government they created. Let us honor their courage, their genius and their foresight.

And for our part, let us be ever vigilant against those who would impinge on that greatness by opening the very gates that hold tyranny at bay.

From 2011: a pre-4th post from Camp David, Home For the Holiday: Feliz Quarto De Julio

Anyway, the long and short of it is Lady M decided to send me and Little Mo back to the Big White to weed and water the Big White Organic Garden of Versus in order to give our illegal Mexicans the rest of the Quarto de Julio weekend off.

From 2012: Happy Birthday America! July 4, 2012 in which we enjoy a quote from Abraham Lincoln:

“The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as a liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty, especially as the sheep was a black one. Plainly the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of the word liberty.”

Although I think we can all agree on the meaning of “destroyer of liberty.”

annotated portrait courtesy of Cripes Suzette

And from 2013, As it Turns Out, We Were the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For, we have Paul Harvey’s video essay on the fate of the 56 men (click to view) who believed liberty was so important that they pledged “…our lives, our fortune, our sacred honor” to ensure it.

Also from that post, a not-to-be-missed photo-recipe for some 4th of July s’mores that have been kicked up to notches unknown – something America has been known for in the past: (h/t The Lonely Libertarian)

Warning: do not eat more than a baker’s dozen (one for each original state)

Also from 2013, we have a bonus post of the Star Spangled Banner by “Madison Rising” (click to view)

And from 2014, “A republic, Madam, if you can keep it” which includes an eerily prescient observation about Joan Rivers, may she rest in peace.

Finally from 2015, Weiners on Parade, the tiny 4th of July BBQ for tiny hamsters:

So let’s get those baked beans in the oven, the potato salad in the frig and the burgers and dogs on the grill and party like it’s 1776!

I note this year that the Brexit vote indicates that even the Brits understand our Independence Day now. I do hope that theirs withstands the test of time as well as ours (so far), butt in general I’d have to say…our Independence Day TRUMPS theirs.

Happy Birthday America – Long May You Run!