Worst. Tea Party. Evar.
Happy Patriot's Day.
i don't mean to brag, but I'm the great-great-great-great-great-great grandson of Revolutionary War hero Daniel Shays. He was born in Massachusetts (preceding me there by over 200 years) and lived through the Boston Tea Party, the War, and the troubled times thereafter. Eventually he became known more for his Rebellion against American government than his service to it.
He stood up for the rights of the common man. He stood up for what was Right against the clumsy wrongs of a poorly conceived initial American government. His rebellion was eventually put-down, but he made his point and we are now a better nation for it. Shays' Rebellion resulted in a new Constitution and the United States of America.
It's easy, however, to misinterpret...
He knew what real tyranny was and he fought it. He knew what really bad government was and he fought it. He was a Real patriot. He wasn't just some blustery showman like those unfair & unbalanced "news entertainers" on TV and radio. He was the real deal. And, faithfully bearing his legacy, i try to keep it real myself. -Especially on days like today, Patriots Day.
Obviously i appreciate the patriotism of dissent as much as aNybody can. I'm still alittle disappointed though regarding that pathetic display presented to us less than a week ago on April 15th. They spun up more media hype than i could stomach at the time, but on This Day it seems worthy of further analysis. We live in the greatest country in the world (i hope our international friends will forgive me my pride), but people are whining about paying the cost. Do they not understand that there's a crippling recession going on and we (those of us making less than $200,000 a year) are paying no more in taxes now than we did 10 years ago? We live in relative peace under the most transparent Democracy EVER, but people are kvetching about living in a repressive facist/commie regime. Do they not know the difference between suffering under oppression by Redcoats/Reds and "losing" an election? It's just ONE election, Nancy, there'll be another one in four years. i assure you everything will be alright. The way they were wailing and moaning and gnashing teeth the other day though, you'd think it was the fricken End Days. Remain Calm. And show some dignity.
We shouldn't need to remind our fellow Americans: aPpReCiAtE that you live in the greatest country in the world. We have our civil liberties, we have a stable government that is immune to even eight consecutive years of complete incompetence, and our regulated economy is STILL the most successful one ever. We've got some tough times to get through, but it is NOT the end of life as we know it. This too shall pass. CELEBRATE the State of the Nation. Wait until there's really Real trouble before you start stockpiling the 5.56mm ammo and crying on national TV. -Oh, and, uh, make sure to educate your panicky friends about American history, the 21st century, and the definition of the term "teabagging" before neXt April 15th.
Gorramn if these ain't exciting times we're living in.
If you've never been to Boston, you should check it out. The Freedom Trail is cool, Lexington & Concord are cool, the U.S.S. Constitution is cool. You gotta go. But you should do it on the long Patriot's Day Weekend if you can. That's when all the Revolutionary War reenactors are there to go through the rites reminding us of what real tyranny and real acts of rebellion are all about.
If you've never been to America (or didn't have a favorable opinion of it when you were here), please contact me and I'd be happy to escort you around providing suitable explanation for everything in these United States.