What was there to feel pride in on Fourth of July?

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 26, 2022

July 4, Independence Day. I think the only generation who understood what Independence Day meant are our parents. They lived through a depression and world war. Since then, it has become barbeques, fireworks and sales. America has become something I don’t recognize anymore. Nor do we stand as a beacon of light for the rest of the world.

The Republican Party has taken a turn to the far right and is no longer recognized as the conservative party of younger years. You have people flying a black and white American flags, who announce their willingness to kill me because I’m a liberal. People dressed in blue shirts, white khakis, faces covered, bullying people on the streets. Reminiscent of the black and brown shirts of the ’30s and KKK in our own history. Republican governors are banning books, taking away voting rights, making it illegal to provide water to people who must wait hours to vote. While taking away polling places in minority communities. Now they are spreading the “big lie” saying our voting is fraudulent and the winner, who won the popular vote, didn’t win. Tried to provide alternate electors to overturn the election. While encouraging an armed insurrection of our government.

The right-wing Supreme Court has taken away the right of women to control their own health, degraded the EPA. Given American oligarchs unfettered ability to bribe Congress with Citizens United. What other rights are they going to take away? A sad period in the history of the country.

Stuart Clift

Everett