Greetings Earth Frens! Ratio here…
It’s the Friday after the 4th of July American Independence celebrations across the United States.
Before we move on I wanted to share a well written piece that I think sums up a lot of what Americans feel about this country.
By James Lindsay
You’ve probably heard this before, but it’s always worth repeating. Something extremely cool about the “Star-spangled Banner,” the American national anthem, is that it asks a question, and it’s the question at the heart of everything in the American worldview.
“Oh, say, can you see
By the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilight’s last gleaming...”
So the anthem begins with a question and a scene. One man, a patriot, is asking another man, another patriot, “can you see it?” at sunrise after a long, dangerous night.
The “it” in question is going to be revealed to be the flag, our “star-spangled banner,” which they had last fully recognized and honored as the sun set, daylight failed, and night crept over them the evening before.
Can you see it? Say! Can you see it?!
IS IT STILL THERE?!
“Whose broad stripes and bright stars
Through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watched
Were so gallantly streaming...”
Here we find that the “it” is in fact the flag, our star-spangled banner, and we learn why the question is being asked.
The flag is described as having flown and streamed gallantly over ramparts of war through a perilous fight. All could have been lost. The flag, and even the fledgling country for which it stands, one nation under God and indivisible.
Say! Can you see it? Now that the light is back?
IS IT STILL THERE?!
“--And the rockets’ red glare,
The bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there!--”
They could see it through the battle in the light of the rockets and bombs that threatened them, here and there in quick glimpses. But it was still there throughout! But now? At dawn?
Say! Can you see?
IS IT STILL THERE?!
“Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free
And the home of the brave?”
The urgency is palpable with every refrain. They have to know. It’s the first thing they must know as the sun begins to light the sky, even before it rises.
IS IT STILL THERE?!
Say! Say!! Can you see? Can you see it?!
At the heart of every American beats the fundamental truth and reality that what we have here is precious, that it’s worth fighting for, to the death if necessary, and that it’s fragile. That at any moment it can be lost. That we have to remember to look for it because last night might have been the night in which it failed.
Every day, every year, every generation.
The American fight for freedom, to live in self-governance within ordered liberty, is ongoing and never-ending. The price of the land of the free is that it must be the home of the brave. We have to defend it, defend it, and defend it again, against all enemies foreign and domestic, because what we have is amazing, rare, fragile, and worth every cent of treasure, every drop of blood, and every risk to our sacred honor to protect it.
Our anthem is not a declaration. It is not a proclamation. It is not a statement.
It is a question.
Every time we sing our wholly unique national anthem, we as American ask the question again. IS IT STILL THERE?! Are we still America? Does that star-spangled banner yet wave?
Because it’s a question, the answer is not known. It is not a guarantee. It cannot be taken for granted and isn’t. And what an honor to ask and take up our part in the story, in the American Experiment, in the greatest country the world has ever known.
For tonight, the last night of our first 250 years, as the sun gave way to twilight’s last gleaming and darkness overtook our land once again, the answer was still yes. We can see it even tonight in the red glare of rockets, with small bombs bursting in air, fill the sky with the noble tribute of fireworks once again.
And we all ask ourselves, will it still be flying at dawn?
This is what it means to be an American.
Happy 250th, America! Now for many happy returns!
And with that I will say this if you live in America.
Should America not make you proud to be a part of with all its flaws, inconsistencies, failures, and imperfections then start planning your EXIT. There is a place for you even if it’s not here. I pray you find that home.
The time is just ahead where we go from noticing to ACTION.
In the meantime let’s get back to the memes shall we?
QUEUE THE METAL MUSIC
DROP THE MEMES
Who could the chaosmongers be? This song is from the 80’s so it has to be a group that’s been around since then at least.
How’s that for some BANG BANG?
-Ratio
PS:
I am nostalgic for America because I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s and I still remember the freedom, the overall unity of purpose Americans had back then. We’re just off-track by a lot.
For those of you that want to start running for office instead of reading memes and thinking it’s someone else’s responsibility this website will give you open races in your area of America.
We want to live in a society where it is safe to leave your door open at night. Where you can leave stuff in your car, or leave your car, without it being stolen. We have to make it that way.
Educate yourself on what leader you should be - in this case Citizen Servant Leader is the right direction.
Or do nothing. It’s your choice.
It’s time for regular people to be in charge. We’ve had enough lawyers and college educated people running things into the ground.
You don’t need permission. Just go for it.
Unless you’re a commie scumbag then fuck off and die!
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