Happy Birthday, America!

​It’s almost Independence Day and I’ve got a confession to make since, like one of the key figures in this famous historical narrative, I cannot tell a lie.

If you don’t get this reference, I might have to come over and chop down your cherry tree.  Ahem.

In any event, here comes the admission: I have a slight obsession with the British Royal Family.

Some of them I love, such as Prince William and Princess Katharine and their adorable brood. I am equally fond of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and their little cutie patooties.

Oh sure, the latter two are now residents of sunny California, but I believe they remain the respective Duke and Duchess of Sussex and are still somehow in line for the throne. 

At least, I think so?

Man, it’s confusing. Another compelling argument for the abolition. I digress.

However, to reiterate, much like our first President, I’m not gonna fib. I dig Great Britain. Mostly.

That is to say, I am NOT a huge fan of King Charles or his wife. I refuse to address her with any regal title, given my continuing devotion to the late Princess Diana.

So there.

Additionally, there’s also at least one more British bloke I fancy. 

You see, I have a borderline fascination with (arguably) England’s most famous competitive eater, Adam Moran a/k/a “Beard Meats Food.” It’s not quite at the level of my utter obsession with Robert Downey, Jr. but it is, in point of fact, quite considerable.

I digress.

I tend think of England fondly as the Motherland “across the pond.” 

However, Independence Day is a significant and cherished national holiday here in the good old US of A for exceptionally good reason. It commemorates this country’s declaration of independence from British rule on July 4, 1776.

According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica website (see what I did there?) Independence Day, in the United States, is “the annual celebration of nationhood held on July 4. It commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. This document announced the separation of the 13 North American colonies from Great Britain."

Here are some related facts of which you may be unaware:

-In 1870 the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal workers, and in 1938 it became a paid federal holiday. Also called the Fourth of July, the holiday is celebrated across the United States with parades, fireworks shows, picnics, concerts, and other festivities. Independence Day is also notable for its displays of patriotism, as many Americans commemorate the day by flying the American flag and dressing in the flag’s colors of red, white, and blue. PK Note: Same colors as the Union Jack, just sayin’.

-The adoption of the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 by the Continental Congress as it had voted in favor of independence from Great Britain on July 2 but did not actually complete the process of revising the document—originally drafted by Thomas Jefferson in consultation with fellow committee members John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and William Livingston—until two days later. 

-The celebration of the declaration’s completion was initially modeled on that of the British king’s birthday and was marked by bell ringing, bonfires, solemn processions, and oratory. PK: Defeated the purpose, no? I’ll take good old-fashioned US barbecues, parades and fireworks, thanks.

-In the initial stages of the revolutionary movement, patriots used such celebrations to proclaim their resistance to the British Parliament’s legislation while lauding King George III as the real defender of British liberties. However, in many American towns the marking of the first days of independence during the summer of 1776, the celebrations took the form of a mock funeral for the king, whose “death” symbolized the end of monarchy and tyranny and the rebirth of liberty. PK note: Yikes! Seems a tad harsh.

-With the rise of leisure, the Fourth of July emerged as a major midsummer holiday. The prevalence of heavy drinking and the many injuries caused by setting off fireworks prompted reformers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries to mount a Safe and Sane Fourth of July movement. PK Note: Please be smart out there. Moderation in all things .. and perhaps it’s best to leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals, Capsice?

-Later in the 20th century Independence Day declined in importance as a venue for politics, although it remained a national holiday marked by parades, concerts of patriotic music, and fireworks displays. It continues to be a potent symbol of national power and of specifically American qualities. PK Note: Now we’re talkin’. Think baseball, hot dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet, to quote the old car jingle.

However, you choose to celebrate, be safe, be patriotic and as always, be grateful that we live in the greatest country in the world. 
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God bless the USA and happy 4th of July, y’all!

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