“…the true patriotism, the only rational patriotism, is loyalty to the Nation ALL the time, loyalty to the Government when it deserves it.”
Mark Twain – “The Czar’s Soliloquy”
In a manner of confession, I was genuinely conflicted this year about how I was going to celebrate this holiday that I ordinarily look forward to with great anticipation and not just because there will be a voluminous sacrifice to the gods of propane.
The events of the previous 48 hours were depressing enough in which we saw perhaps the greatest raping of working Americans to enrich the already fabulously wealthy thanks to Senator Murkowski’s sweetheart deal for Alaska in a budget bill that pretty much ticks every box for intentional evil and violation of every high principle this country supposedly stands for at the hands of those who theoretically are supposed to represent us.
But then to see those very same people, many of whom *KNOW* this budget bill was evil incarnate and yet voted for it anyway whether it was due to political pressure in the form of bribes or threats of a primary opponent in their next election or just willful indifference, actually *CELEBRATING* many of the poorest and most vulnerable in our society losing basic safety net programmes that afford them the chance to merely survive and chanting “USA! USA! USA!” as if the national football team had won the World Cup was really a step too far.
I seriously considered offering my regrets to attending my usual celebration of the day in favour of cutting loose at the keyboard with the rage I was feeling toward a majority in our government who seem to have no problem with millions losing what little healthcare cover they have and our many of our citizens going hungry because they’re not even going to be offered the crumbs from the cake being eaten in front of them by the rich and high and mighty.
In fairness, that post will be coming presently once I can discuss that subject with a modicum of decorum and more of the details of this hastily enacted legislation emerge.
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Emma Lazarus – “The New Colossus’
Then there’s the matter of the deplorable treatment of Latinos in this country whether they’re here legally or not or they have permanent residency in the form of a green card or are actual citizens. I’ve seen the fear in their eyes first hand and it absolutely breaks my heart that a country that can have that poem inscribed on one of the most indelible symbols of freedom and the opportunity our country used to represent to those who chose to come to our shores and become members of our “melting pot” is now engaged in a reign of terror and throwing the law and due process in the bin in favour of stoking fear and misery.
It’s one thing if they’d actually confine their activities to people who are in this country illegally and also represent a clear and present danger to the community at large. The murderers, rapists, drug dealers, and gang-bangers…no one will miss them provided they are afforded the due process of law demanded under the Constitution.
But when these sweeps are picking up people who haven’t committed any crimes and just “look a certain way” and moving heaven and earth to chuck them out of this country (occasionally to countries halfway round the world that they have absolutely no connection to or even ability to speak the language enough to survive such as South Sudan which is on the brink of civil war, no less!) even when they’re trying to follow the directions of the immigration officials by showing up to their mandated meetings and court hearings only to be swept into custody after doing so.
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
US Constitution – 14th Amendment, Section I
Lest we forget, more than a few being detained for possible deportation are actually United States citizens, whether it is by virtue of being born on US soil or a naturalised citizen (14th Amendment, Section I) as well as lawful permanent residents (green card).
What does it tell the rest of the world about what our country is becoming when even trying to do everything in the right way they’re told to preserve one’s citizenship or get legal status in the end can find you deported to the middle of Africa?
We are supposed to be a nation of laws subject to no monarch…or at least we used to be.
We are supposed to be the nation the world turns to when it comes to acting in a humane way to our fellow human beings whether it be in time of disaster or war or giving those who are oppressed and downtrodden a chance at a better life they may not be able to live at home.
So in spite of these misgivings, I headed up the hill to Wendell to spend the afternoon and evening with dear friends who are as close to me as family can ever be.
I’d brought along some chicken breasts that had been marinading in Lexington BBQ’s hot sauce for over 24 hours and Miguel doctored up the other two with his special blend of spices and onto the grill opposite the smoker absolutely stuffed with chicken quarters that had an amazing rub of their own.
Spicy doesn’t begin to properly describe what the Lexington BBQ sauce did to those chicken breasts. And I absolutely loved it… 🙂
Once we’d done our level best to stuff ourselves much like that other holiday in November, it was time to break out the games and Jessica chose the rather risque version of “Family Feud” and I was going to be playing the part of Richard Dawson (or for the younger crowd which was I believe pretty much everyone else in the house…Steve Harvey…and I don’t think I could be mistaken for him in any way, shape, form, or fashion sense!).
Think of it as “Cards Against Humanity” mating with “Family Feud” and this was what the result would be in terms of the questions and the occasionally perverted answers with the top answers on the board.
How can you think otherwise when it has a question like “what are the old guys in the nursing home stuffing into granny’s G-string?” 😉
After numbers were drawn from a hat to form the teams, one could not help but to notice that two groups were very well-represented amongst the contestants: mixed teams with ancestry from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
And what happened over the next half-hour was…illuminating to say the least! 😉
Try to imagine any competitive sport you can think of…a sport in which the contestants can get very loud and not shy away from confrontation with each other with such a desire to win that is very palpable.
And you’re standing in the middle of this reading the questions and trying to adjudicate whether the answer is correct or is a…
Perhaps I should have thought about going into the diplomatic corps trying to sort out that unpleasantness in Gaza or the Middle East generally… 😉
Seriously, even though some of my decisions as judge of the answered were questioned (LOUDLY!)…I genuinely had a fun time being at Ground Zero between two very passionate teams and that’s when it struck me (no pun intended) that I was exactly where I needed to be to bring some light into the darkness I’d been feeling was enveloping our country due to the majority in it’s current government.
Here I am, very much in the minority no less, in a house where one could not help but see diversity playing out in front of us in it’s purest form and it was very much a good thing.
It didn’t matter what you looked like or who you voted for or what political positions you might take, we were all there enjoying each other’s company (occasionally LOUDLY!) and loving our o’hana (family in Hawaiian) for the unique and boisterous group of people so unlike each other in many ways but brought together in common cause to forge something greater.
For all of the government policy currently decrying and doing everything to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as anathema to their interests, this was about as clear a repudiation of their position that I could possibly envision because there was no doubting just how much stronger and more fulfilling our lives are when we come together as a family ought to do.
I’m still more than a little angry at the evil being done in our name by our “leaders” and “representatives” who fear the power of unity and the knowledge one can gain with experiencing and understanding diversity of thought and belief but seeing an example of how the love of family will outlast the evils of the day was proof positive that I was where I needed to be at the exact moment I needed to be there.
And so whether it is “Happy Independence Day” or “¡Feliz Día de la Independencia!” or however you wish to phrase it, may you embrace what is good about our nation that makes the United States unique amongst the nations, even if those values are being misplaced for a while by those who fear what they choose not to understand and are ultimately unable to control as they wish.