It goes without saying that this day is very important to us here in the United States. On this day in 1776, the second Continental Congress passed the Declaration of Independence. Once that happened, we officially declared the original 13 colonies free.
Because of that, the 4th of July is an important date in our nation’s history. So, while you enjoy your precious BBQs and other events, just remember why today is so special to us as a country. If we hadn’t come up with the DOI, we very well could be under Britain’s rule.
Of course it wasn’t that simple. We had to fight for our freedom. At the time that the DOI was presented to the nation of course, the Revolutionary War was raging, and it did not stop until 1783. It was in that year, of course, the British monarchy finally and officially recognized the freedom of the 13 colonies that gave birth to our wonderful nation.
Unfortunately, it was not said and done. Fast forward to 1812, when the British caused problems, problems that forced our nation into another war. The British once again fought against us for a variety of reasons and we had no choice. We had to go to war.
As we all know, we once and for all kicked Britain’s ass. If we hadn’t, we’d be talking with a funny accent and we’d be talking with one another over tea and crumpets.
As far as I’m concerned, those two wars were the only wars that needed to happen. We had to protect our freedom. Today, of course, people claim that when we went to war after the horrific events of 9/11, our men and women were defending our freedoms. No, no they weren’t.
Those two wars protected our rights. Any war after that was not necessary. I posit that any war beyond 1812 did not mandate our involvement. I do not believe that we should have gotten involved in either of the world wars.
Now as far as the attack on Pearl Harbor is concerned, we should have done the Christian thing and moved on. But no, we got involved and American lives were snuffed out for absolutely no reason. They died for nothing.
I do not believe that we should have pushed our way into other wars, including the retaliatory war that took place as a petty revenge campaign after those towers went down. We should have turned the other cheek and forgiven those responsible for that day. But no, we had to carelessly send our troops overseas to fight for something that didn’t need to be fought. Many lives were lost in the name of revenge.
And what of the Civil War? That was unpleasant and it absolutely not vital. Many men died because, in part, some people wanted to keep slavery going and a lot of people didn’t. I don’t think our nation should have gone to war with itself.
What should have happened is that we should have left well enough alone. If we had, maybe slavery would still exist and is that really such a bad thing? I think not!
Yes, yes, I realize that the fights in Afghanistan and Iraq were sold to the American people as being part of a global campaign against terror. But we should have just dusted ourselves off and moved on. But no, we had to essentially murder Osama bid Laden, didn’t we? That means we stooped down to his level.
Yes, it cannot be up for debate: we murdered him. He was no threat at the moment that he was gunned own by a revenge-seeking group of men whom I believe to be ruthless killers. There were several other solutions since we seem to be a country unable or unwilling to simply forgive and move on.
Then of course there was the Vietnam war, another conflict that didn’t require our involvement. In both of those wars, we sent our fellow citizens, many of them boys, to die for nothing.
That’s right. I wrote that.
Apart from the first two wars, our soldiers went over to die for absolutely nothing. Our government basically murdered them. They all died for no good reason.
Those first two wars were important. Those soldiers truly fought for our freedoms. Every war since then? Needless and vile. We should have simply stood down from Vietnam and we should have taken a knee in September of 2001. If our money still says, “In God we trust,” then shouldn’t we follow Christ’s example and forgive and forget?
So what about those rights? We know them all. No need to go into it here, but one of the most basic rights is this: our freedom of speech. Contrary to people’s claims, the first amendment does not mean we can say what we want, where we want.
The intent of that amendment was to protect our freedom to openly speak out against our government without fear of retaliation. Along with that came the freedom to speak freely about causes and opinions. But those rights aren’t absolute.
You cannot just walk one to someone’s property and say what you want. That person can absolutely tell you to get off their property. But if you want to speak openly at, say, the park, you will not be punished as long as you’re peaceful about it.
As a child, I got an early taste of my first amendment rights. When I was in 4th grade, our school district in Las Vegas wanted to re-zone students. This meant that most of us would have been sent to other schools. Of course, right away I wanted to do something about that.
My mother and stepfather said that would be fine as long as I go by the proposed school. I went there and saw right away that it was crap.
At that school board meeting, people were given the opportunity to come up to the podium and speak out. Well, I did just that. I got up there and told them why this was a bad idea. In my young mind, I blamed the person in charge.
My mother told me that I spoke with anger and I gave the the school board president an awkward moment. I looked directly at it with my patented death stare. He apparently was squirming in his seat. In the end, they abandoned that re-zoning plan and that’s because of everyone who got up there and told them that they were wrong.
Without those first original wars, I probably wouldn’t have had the right to do that. But because brave men died for our country, and I mean truly fought for our freedoms as opposed to every other war, we have many rights here in our country.
Since then, our military has fought for nothing, meaning that those who have died in service to our country did so because they chose to die fools. Brave fools, fools who should be honored, but fools nonetheless.
Sometimes, people get it wrong and they do so in front of the country. So it is with Lee Grenwood, whose epic song God Bless The USA pays tribute to fallen heroes. Indeed, the song, in part, goes “I won’t forgot the men who died who have that right to me!”
Well, that’s wrong unless he’s speaking only of our nation’s founding wars. But he’s speaking of the men who died in all of the wars that our nation has been involved in and in those wars since 1815. They were not fighting for our freedom. They were fighting because the specific presidents didn’t give a damn about anyone’s life.
Greenwood seems to only be paying tribute to men and only men who died. Well, I have a better idea, folks:
“I won’t forget all those who served, who served for you and me.”
Okay, so it’s not catchy and probably has too many syllables, but at least that way, Greenwood wouldn’t have spat upon those who aren’t male and those who served, but did not die. So, then, I find Greenwood’s lyrics to be disgusting, sexist and evil.
In today’s military, people who join up became puppets controlled by presidents who went after revenge for no good reason. If our nation had practiced true Christian forgiveness, all of those lives would have been saved.
I realize that, apart from the draft, people voluntarily joined up. They deserve to be recognized, but at the same time it should be known that they basically signed up for no good reason. It’s sad that so many men were rounded up like cattle and forced to die for the pettiest of reasons. I truly feel sorry for those men.
But those who signed up voluntarily? Fools all! Well, maybe that’s a bit strong. Naive. Yeah, that’s it! Naive!
In the interests of full disclosure, I voluntarily joined the Army in 1999. However, following the advice of my recruiters, I concealed a disqualifying health condition and, after getting to Ft. Benning, I was kicked out. I never even got past Ft. Benning’s reception battalion. Pathetic, but true.
For over a month, I served as an orderly, which is basically a clerk and a person who aids the drill sergeant. I worked a long day just like everyone else. I did not sit around watching television and scratching my balls. I worked until the day that I was finally sent home.
So, then, I was a naive idiot because I joined up knowing that one day I might be called up to be a human target. I didn’t see it back then, but I do now: voluntarily putting your life on the line for a country that loves needless wars is just plain idiotic.
I meant well, and I’m sure those who join up do as well, but looking back on it, I’m glad I washed out. Otherwise, I might have been forced overseas to die because a president wanted to play chess with my life. I’m glad that I failed. Because of that, I am alive.
These days, our first world wars have never be about defending our freedoms. They’ve only ever been a catalyst for needless deaths of the men who, with good intent, joined up be nothing more than pawns. Heroes? I’m sorry, but I have to say no. Well meaning, but stupid? Yes, truly yes.
As we can all see, World War III is basically already starting. It is my true belief that once again, the United States will insert itself into something that we should just leave alone. If we quit aiding other countries, maybe we can avoid being a part of yet another needless war and maybe, just maybe, we can prevent deaths of men and women who joined up because they were naive and best and stupid at worst.
Because we can’t stop aiding Ukraine and Israel, we have made our country a sitting duck. People will die in the name of playing the hero. That shouldn’t be!
Of course it is because of those first two wars that I can write this article without the government coming after me. Yes, I realize that after reading this, many people will send me death threats, just like they did back in 2005. That’s their freedom of speech as well.
So yes, think about our nation’s freedoms while you celebrate. Just remember the wars of today aren’t about defending anyone’s freedoms. When World War III truly starts and when they might bring back the draft, never forget the fact that if we push ourselves into another conflict and if we don’t simply leave Israel and Iran to their own devices, our men and women in uniform will play stupid games and win stupid prizes.
None of them should have to die that way, supposedly defending our freedoms but dying because of stupidity, but they wrote our country a blank check and believe me, President Trump will be happy to cash those checks.
Of course the number of men who came back in coffins were doing what they thought was the right thing. They did not. I feel sorry for those men and for their friends and family, but they chose their own path, especially those who played the hero and rushed into joining because they were angry about 9/11.
I’m sorry, but I cannot find it within myself to respect or honor those who voluntarily served. Though I can appreciate their intent, I simply can’t respect or honor stupidity.
Don’t you misunderstand me: I’m not laughing about their deaths at all. I of course wish that nobody died. All I’m saying is that if they had simply thought intelligently as opposed to thinking emotionally, they all would be alive today.
If I don’t feel respect those people, whom do I support? The men who were forced into service in the name of patriotism. They had no choice. Those men deserve higher honor than those who had signed up voluntarily.
I do respect those who did whatever they could to get out of going. I would have done the same thing. I’d have burned my draft card and I’d have pretended to be gay just to get out of dying in a pointless war.
At this point, if someone joins the military, no matter the branch, they are literally retarded. Well-meaning perhaps, but retarded. Our freedoms have already been fought for. Let us not let naive people die because of our government’s bloodlust for petty and unChristlike behavior.
Given the number of soldiers that died between 1776 and 1815, make sure you exercise your rights that they, not our most recent and our present military, provided. Those men died for our country, whereas today, members of our military die because some president says so.
Please don’t misunderestimate me. I am grateful to be an American. I am grateful for the freedoms that the soldiers of the Revolutionary War and The War of 1812 gave us. I just don’t believe that any of the other wars should have been fought by us, nor have they in any way protected our freedoms. Bullies who fight others’ battles? Yes. Protectors of our freedoms? No. Hell, no.
I thank our current military personnel for their service, but that’s as far as it goes as far as I’m concerned, folks.
Now that you know who truly died for our freedoms, go enjoy your precious day of hot dogs and fireworks.