Independence Day has long been one of my favorite holidays.
I just love the fireworks, the food, the togetherness. The celebration of a country I’ve long loved.
This year, however, I hate it.
Independence Day feels cruel. Like a sick joke. We are now led by an aspiring dictator; by a man who has conned millions of Americans into thinking he cares about their lives.
We are now led by a man with five military deferments. By a man who discriminated against minorities who applied to live in his Queens apartment complexes. We are now led by a man who still insists the proven-innocent Central Park 5 are guilty and should be put to death. We are now led by a man who lied under oath during the USFL trial. We are now led by a man who created a phony “university” to bilk poor people of their money. We are now led by a man who continues to lie about helping at Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of 9.11. We are now led by a man who devoted 4 1/2 years to “proving” America’s first African-American president was, in fact, a Kenya-born Muslim. We are now led by a man who paid a sex worker hush money to keep quiet about the sex they had 10 days after the birth of his son. We are now led by a man who uses his supporters as props, and shows no interest in their welfare in the midst of a crippling pandemic.
We were once America. Flawed, yes. But at least aspiring to good.
The ideals have been hijacked. Half the participants have been brainwashed and enlisted into a cult.
Independence Day has long been one of my favorite holidays.
Now I can’t wait until July 5.
