【熱夏生活隨筆】My take on the 4th of July

來源: renqiulan 2023-07-04 21:07:18 [] [博客] [舊帖] [給我悄悄話] 本文已被閱讀: 次 (1926 bytes)
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As a U.S. citizen, I feel obliged to search for the meaning of the U.S. citizenship which is, of course, a historical and historic product of the 4th of July, 1776. Meanwhile, history is a product of collective wisdom and folly (not necessarily in that order). Individual? No individual can make history without interacting with other individuals. 


Collectively our founding fathers literally signed their own death warrant, otherwise known as the Declaration of Independence, in the face of a global superpower, namely, the British Empire. But that did not deter them from leading their people, after losing 25,000 of them in the revolutionary war, to officially launch the U.S. Constitution on March 4, 1789.


Under this Constitution, a unique American regime was designed to defeat aspiring dictators with a deliberate system of check-and-balance. Patriotism is skepticism, meaning that people are united not behind their political leaders. Instead, people are united behind their political belief that politicians tend to corrupt if given too much power. People are also united to make life more difficult for the power that be. Washington, D.C., was and still is a swamp, politically speaking. That was and still is the public perception.


Complain all you want about how inefficient the U.S. government is, but our unique system works. Imagine today's world without the United States of America.



Author: renqiulan

 

所有跟帖: 

國慶評論,a good piece, without the U.S., no iphone almist for sure, -AP33912- 給 AP33912 發送悄悄話 AP33912 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:16:00

Thank you, AP! Happy 4th of July! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:18:50

and 德國almost likely 第一強國 (也沒聯合國)。美國是經濟,軍事與精神領袖。 -AP33912- 給 AP33912 發送悄悄話 AP33912 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:21:00

Meanwhile, the U.S. remains a magnet for immigrants. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:24:42

Canada also open arms welcoming pp worldwide , especially with s -AP33912- 給 AP33912 發送悄悄話 AP33912 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:27:00

Neither Canada nor the U.S. can prosper without immigrants. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:30:08

True. I am one of them. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:06:33

Right on. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 08:29:24

It is late but not too late to wish you a happy 4th of July. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:17:26

Right, it isn't too late to wish you a happy 4th of July. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:19:51

Here, at this hour I can still hear firecrackers. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:22:55

You must be hearing multiple crackling or sizzling sounds. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:27:49

Exactly. But that's OK with me. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:33:44

It's past your bedtime, young lady! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:37:11

It's past your bedtime, young man! -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:38:44

I AM SERIOUS! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:41:45

QUIT IT! -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:43:49

Haha! -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:08:11

水兒,節日快樂! -AP33912- 給 AP33912 發送悄悄話 AP33912 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:23:00

阿普獨立日愉快! -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:31:47

I know you meant to be brief but I still have issues. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:47:19

Such as? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:48:56

Such as the role of government in people's lives. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:53:04

The less the better. Small is beautiful. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 21:59:17

A small government. I get that. Why not a big government? -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:04:15

Why a big government? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:05:57

People feel more secure in a welfare state. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:08:46

I think you're talking about Western Europe. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:10:45

Yes, I am. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:11:44

You have lived in Western Europe for a while. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:14:15

I remember I told you about my stay in Paris. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:16:20

水兒 in Paris! Did you find young Hemingway's hangout? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:19:20

I did. Now, tell me why a welfare state isn't good enough. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:25:25

What has happened to Paris lately? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:26:50

Not good. It's a riot. Paris is quite used to riots. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:29:24

Let me ask you why France is a NATO member. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:30:50

France was initially reluctant to join NATO. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:32:10

But France did join NATO, didn't it? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:34:04

Yes, for collective security. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:35:44

Which power underwrites NATO? -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:38:19

OK, the U.S. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:39:20

Time to call it a night. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:41:07

Goodnight! -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 22:42:40

Paris! -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:10:58

Was it a sidewalk café? -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:12:14

Interesting. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:10:05

That's an issue. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:09:15

不寄希望一個國家不犯錯誤,而是寄希望她的糾錯能力。 -唐宋韻- 給 唐宋韻 發送悄悄話 唐宋韻 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 23:03:41

對。謝謝唐宋君!製度利於多元化。美國糾正奴役黑人這個千古大錯,還是需要一場比美國革命慘烈許多的南北內戰。 -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 06:34:40

羅馬共和時代的奴隸製度在美國重現,是與屠殺非武裝印第安人同樣是不可接受的。 -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:17:44

The founding fathers laid the great foundation of the -吃素的狼- 給 吃素的狼 發送悄悄話 (191 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 23:10:34

Freedom is never more than 1 generation away from extinction -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 06:38:40

Let me quote Ronald Reagan. Thank you, 吃素的狼! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 06:40:01

I like Reagan's quote. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:19:56

Really like your interpretation of patriotism. Well said! -老鍵- 給 老鍵 發送悄悄話 老鍵 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/04/2023 postreply 23:28:42

早安,書香。秋蘭昨晚上,盡到一個美國公民的義務了。。。。。。 -lovecat08- 給 lovecat08 發送悄悄話 lovecat08 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 03:22:06

謝謝貓姐!“為人民服務!” -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 06:50:06

Haha! -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:21:34

Thank you, 老鍵先生!Indeed, we're patriotic skeptics. -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 06:45:55

True. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:22:08

Me too. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:20:47

小R早安!短文言簡意賅。涉及兩個概念,“愛國”,“團結”,很值得深思和討論的話題 -花似鹿蔥- 給 花似鹿蔥 發送悄悄話 花似鹿蔥 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 04:44:11

謝謝花姐精準解讀拙文! -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 06:51:18

同感。 -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 09:23:01

"Imagine today's world without the United States of America" -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:12:03

水兒, what are you thinking? -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:15:35

Wei Wei, it would be utterly depressing w/o America around. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:21:03

Would you care to elaborate a little bit? -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:23:20

What kind of superpower would replace America? -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:25:35

Should America fall, an anti-American superpower would rise. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:27:28

Wouldn't it be a scary scenario? -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:29:16

The American spirit might somehow survive. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:35:57

You always live with some silver linings. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:40:35

Because I'm determined to look on the bright side. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:42:58

Good for you. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:45:20

And for you. -寒葦- 給 寒葦 發送悄悄話 寒葦 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 11:46:56

水兒, check this out: "The Accidental Superpower" by P. Zeihan -renqiulan- 給 renqiulan 發送悄悄話 renqiulan 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/05/2023 postreply 14:43:53

Thank you! I'll. -shuier- 給 shuier 發送悄悄話 shuier 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 07/06/2023 postreply 17:49:50

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