4th of July 2020, in Newmerica

I get the OP, feeling the same frustration.

We celebrate our freedom when wearing masks mandated by government, if we don't we get jailed or fined.

We celebrate our freedom where the government chooses we can go.

Our homes are okay, but no beaches, parks.

We can celebrate our freedoms, but not in groups larger than 10 people.

We celebrate our freedoms when government has mandated that they know more about taking care of our safety than we do because we don't have independence.

a reply to: PhatalError

I can't believe that it took "mask mandates" for people to notice our government is tyrannical and amti-freedom. Took me almost until the first so-called PATRIOT Act to wake up. Masks is barely a blip compared to the rest of what's been going on.

How did anyone even equate it to tyranny in comparison - that's what I'm baffled by!

Anyhow, where I live, people aren't bothered much by the masks. We're bothered by the Surveillance State and other much more pressing "Limitations to Freedom."

originally posted by: Bicent
🤷‍♂️ I am celebrating the 4th of July no problem, chartered a boat with my friends went deep sea fishing today, caught a big tuna, a bunch of snapper we saw sharks sea turtles and had a great time, fish frying at home right now and we are going to fire of fire works tonight. 🇺🇸

4th of July has always been special as a kid and taught to my kids now grown adults and one serving in our military. We cannot live in fear 911 taught us that...

I like this!

Yes, I have to wear a mask at work, but my dad is immune compromised, and so I'm glad its two-way masks in public, since 2 fathers of folks fairly close to me have died horrific deaths alone from the virus.

I don't wear a mask at the park, or grilling and swimming over a couple beers with the neighbors.

I won't be wearing a mask while the kids and I blow off contraband fireworks ignored by the local cops (including my cop neighbor) tonight.

Maybe it is bad in some places, but in these Deep Blue Chicago suburbs, aside from masks in public places, it's pretty much "Do what thou wilt" otherwise.

a reply to: PhatalError

Hmm....sending intent to be free or whoop ass is a great thing.
Especially when followed through to conclusion.
Happy 4th.

Masks are being mandated because people are willfully disregarding the social contract and common purpose that make a society strong.

It's lack of investment in our communities and care for our fellow citizens that have made the pandemic worse. Everyone lives in their own bubble and tries to maintain /maximize their own individual experience, - everyone else be damned.

At this point the tyranny of the minority is endangering the welfare of the majority. We've simply flipped the script from what the founding father's were worried about. The individual has now run amok. There has to be a balance. Otherwise , it's just "Lord of the Flies".

Late night (4th of July) Tweet from President Trump signals PAIN for CNN.

twitter.com...

Here is one way Patriotic Americans demonstrated our independence on 4th of July evening, despite orders not to celebrate.

Re: twitter.com...
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Re: twitter.com...
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Re: twitter.com...

U.S. citizens openly rebelling against state/local leaders who overstep their bounds, is a wonderful sight to see!

a reply to: dogstar23

It's funny how many trump supporters are against masks because it's tyrannical and "anti-freedom", but can't grasp why protesters are protesting police overreach and violence.

I can't take anyone seriously who think the masks are a violation of rights, but don't support the peaceful protesters and care about their rights being violated.

a reply to: blueman12

Masks are a courtesy towards those with health issues in my opinion... people have the right to ignore it if they choose

As for the protests, show me the math that supports systemic police violence against 1 ethnicity (the narrative being pushed) and I will join in, so far people just point at news stories when the stats do not support that.

a reply to: carewemust
Great 4th!
Great weekend!
Celebrating our independence!

I live in a nice Florida suburban cul de sac neighborhood, and man we had a fantastic block party/wake (we lost the neighbor across the street to heart/stroke)! Was so much fun getting everyone together. Even the deceased's sister was having a blast. Had a huge fireworks display to rival the one the city puts on. Everyone was coming together to put on our own show of appreciation for this country. It was an awesome sight. Renewed some of my faith in people.

a reply to: KnoxMSP
That is GREAT!
All Americans love freedom and celebrating our independence.
It brings us together!
It UNIFIES us.
It is a great holiday weekend.

originally posted by: PhatalError

I dont think you understood the point i was trying to make.
Basically to sum it up, i dont understand how anyone can celebrate freedom while rooting for tyranny.

So what did you do last night?

originally posted by: shooterbrody
Great 4th!
Great weekend!
Celebrating our independence!

So I live near Portland OR... I was wondering how the 4th would play out as much of the far left, progressives, BLM, ANTIFA etc. were preaching don't celebrate and use this 4th as a silent protest to how evil our country is and has been since 1619.

And that could have been a referendum demonstration as to how our country will vote come Nov as we watch the protesting/rioting going on, and if America shut down on the 4th in a silent protest too as many Governors/mayors wanted to play it out as how they would not be having ANY celebrations for narratives well beyond COVID-19 I think we did have a referendum, but not how they wanted it to go.

Well first I think every fireworks stand sold out completely, the huge one near me had an constant hour wait just to get in the door, and a 1000 dollars in fireworks was not unusual. When it got dark I think it was a reenactment of D-Day as there was so much going off in all directions as far as one could see, people were celebrating in droves as if it was a big FU to the Goverment and others who might have suggested to silent protest. Even across the river in OR where you can not have anything over like 6 feet off the ground was going full nuts with their fireworks displays.

So as simple as this was, I now wonder what this shows now as to how Nov will play out. Is that silent majority who are a mix of all political parties getting tired of it all, the 24/7 in your face of state level Goverment oppression, those who want to erase history and rewrite it to keep America in a perpetual evil state, violent protesting/rioting, CHAZes, 1619, the networks preaching all this as the "new normal", Biden's lost mind that everyone can see, so on and so forth.

Yep I think come Nov many people are going to be surprised as how both state and federal level elections play out...

Can't just sit around and stew about it. "Freedom" and "independence" have always been relativistic terms. Unless we go completely off the grid we always have to answer to somebody. We have to drive on the proper side of the road. We have to wear pants.

A lot of people get in a tizzy about losing "rights" that we never really had in the first place.

a reply to: PhatalError

Good post--the American people have been conditioned for years to pee in a bottle for the authorities. They were conditioned and extorted to turn in mothers and brothers to the authorities in the war on drugs.

Stanley Milgram's experiments are relevant to assessment of the behavior you describe and we all watch happening.

The herd mentality, peer pressure, takes over.

The Scot Charles Macay noted that men think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.

originally posted by: Salander
a reply to: PhatalError
The herd mentality, peer pressure, takes over.

It's nothing new. Particularly when a culture is under stress. We all decided at one point burning witches was a grand idea to save society. People follow the crowd. Those who disagree are vilified.

It was a great fourth celebration here. Fireworks going off like I have never seen in my 20 years of living up in these hills.

Freedom and the American spirit is far from dead, but very much alive !