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What does it mean to celebrate Independence Day?

What does it mean to celebrate Independence Day?

I’ve been getting all the regular emails that I expect this time of year. It makes me sad that a form of blind nationalism has seemingly replaced authentic American patriotism. “Actions are held to be good or bad, not on their own merits but according to who does them, and there is almost no kind of outrage — torture, the use of hostages, forced labour, mass deportations, imprisonment without trial, forgery, assassination, the bombing of civilians — which does not…

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Independence Day, not 4th

Independence Day, not 4th

I don’t want to hear about any “4th of July.” The holiday is “Independence Day.” Last year I noticed a strange reluctance to use the words, to invoke the history. Let’s avoid repressing the point. While we’re all celebrating this holiday, patting ourselves on the pack and claiming superiority, let’s remember the roots of the American experiment. America is celebrating its 230th birthday on Independence Day this year. On July 4th 1776, the Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of…

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