So very sad indeed. That very few on DU are enjoying

[Laura PourMeADrink]

July 4th. You are gonna let FG take that away from you!??? No way!

Sad day here, for sure! Great optimism everywhere across country!

[Haggard Celine]

1. Are you being sarcastic?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

9. Hell no. You can either be caught in despair as I have

Been for many years or chose something different. Feels great. Who knew lots and lots of great music would do it ? Thank you cnn.

[Talitha]

32. Yes thank you, CNN - it WAS great!

Admittedly, I didn't know who most of the singers were, but they were really good. And DANG, it was wonderful to see The Doobie Brothers again! Made me smile seeing how many old farts like me were in the crowd, singing and dancing... hell, they had ME doing it right with them.

Loved the fireworks, especially the few glimpses of the Bidens admiring the show from their balcony. They weren't moping around feeling beaten down - they were out there being happy and proud. They gave us a good example to follow.

[msongs]

2. today's experience here is about the same it usually is nt

[tenderfoot]

3. Glad you're enjoying yourself

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. Sorry you aren't!!! Glad you had time to find that stupid clip!

[iemanja]

4. The guy down my block is enjoying it

He's been shooting fireworks for hours. I don't understand the attraction to things that go boom.

[JI7]

6. Same here

New Years Eve with the shootings and July 4th with these stupid booms which start weeks if not months before and continue a bit after the 4th make these days annoying to me.

[Enter stage left]

5. Because of the "supine court" this is absolutely the WORST 4th of July I've had in 76 years.

[sprinkleeninow]

7. I made it another year. Not celebrating any of it. And I liked it that way.

The New England curmudgeon in me presented strongly.

[mucifer]

8. Celebrations were cancelled around here because there was an armed mass killer on the loose

[Laura PourMeADrink]

11. JHC. So much doom and gloom here!!! You'd think we

didn't have the WH, Senate, and House! If we can't get what we want done then we need new leaders !

[Tetrachloride]

12. +1. agree.

as for myself, this is the best Fourth I ever had. A pair of new friends.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. Yeah!!!!!!!!

[BlackSkimmer]

22. It's curious. I've noticed, even before the Roe outrage, that many here seem very down despite our D

Are people not happy with President Biden? What's behind this?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

43. Well just the facts... Approval at 39% meaning at

Least 13% of Ds unhappy. That said, don't think there is any prez who has encountered such trauma. He will definitely bounce back!. Now whether or not he should run in 2024... Whole other question. Has nothing to do with how much we love and respect him!!!!!!!!!!!

[betsuni]

26. "If we can't get what we want done then we need new leaders!"

What does that mean? What would these "new leaders" do? They won't be able to change anything and just become the old leaders (establishment) and then what. Drain the swamp? Really? What's wrong with Democratic leaders? Propaganda that they're weak and corrupt and don't do anything? Why would you believe that?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

40. It might not hurt. Jeez have you seen approvals#?

[mcar]

30. You do know how government works, right?

[bottomofthehill]

14. A friend posted this earlier this evening. Today (now) Tuesday is her birthday 7/5

I love her thought process and optimism.


Happy Birthday, America! My mom always said I was born on the 5th of July because she held off to celebrate the 4th and catch the fireworks. She made us "little house on the prairie outfits" to march in parades with Dad and his militia buddies from the Legion. Most birthdays I was lucky enough to get flag cakes. I love this country. I love this holiday. I refuse to believe this can continue, because true patriots will hold the line of our rights and liberties, build on the dream of the melting pot, and maintain the separation of church and state. This shift we are experiencing from poser patriots moves away from the true ideals and vision of FREEDOM that makes this country GREAT. We must keep trying to be better.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

16. Wow. What a great sentiment!! Perfect message for all us D's!

[electric_blue68]

15. I enjoyed it some, while cogniscent of our even worse situation right now. .

I took a walk to a part of the park in my new neighborhood I hadn't seen yet. That was nice. Then I went to get snacks for the 4rh. Going to have some now.
Great left overs for main meal.

Will see if the Macy's fireworks or DC's are up on you tube yet. 👍

[usonian]

17. Foothills are quiet.

Fire danger somewhere between extreme and catastrophic. Neighborhood dogs are happy campers.

[LoisB]

18. I stopped celebrating independence day a long time ago when I woke up and faced the fact that

I was not included in that declaration. It has nothing to do with the former guy. I am also very optimistic about the future because I believe we are going to keep the House, expand our majority in the Senate and get things done.

[njhoneybadger]

19. Happy July 4th Laura

[Laura PourMeADrink]

41. U 2. Music will pull us out is still my thought :)

[joemacdawson]

20. In Canada

It was pretty bad in Canada. In Ottawa, on the first. “Freedom Convoy” truckers flying swastikas. About ten percent of the usual turnout.

[panader0]

21. Welcome to DU.

[joemacdawson]

24. Thanks a lot.

Thanks very kindly. Long time follower. Never posted before though.

[gopiscrap]

50. welcome to DU

[niyad]

51. Welcome to our DU family officially. Glad you came in from the cold.

[panader0]

23. I tended my gardens, worked most of the day on a new roof for my workshop, played guitar,

read a new book---while Jeannie binge watched Yellowstone. I did all of the bar-b-que the day before
because it was supposed to rain on the 4th so I had chicken, burgers and brats with tomatoes, onions and
garlic from the garden. I went nowhere or saw anyone or spoke much all day. I like being alone.
Yeah, the shooting and the war and the woes of Congress and the Supreme Court can really get you
down if you dwell on on that stuff, but out here in the boonies I wouldn't even know about it without
TV or the internet. I had a good quiet day and will do the same things today.

[hlthe2b]

25. Wow. Read the room. Given the multiple July 4th massacres, a little sadness is only fitting.

I'm not saying we need overwhelming and paralyzing pessimism, but self-reflection on this of all days is certainly appropriate.

[Kingofalldems]

27. Agree totally.

I don't get the point of the OP. The Trumper running for governor of Illinois said pretty much the same thing.

[BlackSkimmer]

29. People have been glooming and dooming around here for quite some time. Certainly before yesterday.

Even before the Roe decision.

I swear it seems people are just as, if not more, gloomy than when tfg was president. It's very odd.

[Elessar Zappa]

38. Some people really enjoy doom and gloom, unfortunately.

Sad.

[dwayneb]

42. There's a difference between pessimism and realism

When faced with facts you are forced to acknowledge reality.

The fact is, that the SCOTUS is now under the control of extremist right-wing activist judges.

The fact is, if the "Republicans" win the House and Seante in 2022, they will set the stage for a Fascist takeover in 2024.

The fact is, if Trump or DeSantis or their successor wins directly or gains power via coup in 2024, they will destroy America as we have know it, and the rule of law will be a thing of the past. Your voting rights and freedoms will be taken away from you.

The fact is, we are at war, and we have been for a long time.

It's important to understand clearly what is coming, because all of us need to have a plan for our families.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

45. Very truly. Called reality. Wishing and hoping doesn't cut it:(

[Elessar Zappa]

46. I'm not going to feel miserable about stuff I can't control.

I volunteer, donate, and vote. Beyond that, I can’t do much and won’t let the GOP take away my happiness.

[demmiblue]

28. Hours After Mass Shooting, GOP Candidate Says Time to 'Move On' and 'Celebrate'

Hours After Mass Shooting, GOP Candidate Says Time to ‘Move On’ and ‘Celebrate’

https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7vmwd/illinois-darren-bailey-highland-park-

[MrsCoffee]

36. Pretty gross.

[Unwind Your Mind]

31. I don't enjoy the 4th for a different reason

Half our county has burned in the last five years, all fireworks are illegal here

And still we had big loud fireworks going on just a few streets over

I hate those people because they don’t give a shit about anyone but themselves

Nearly everyone who lives around here has intimate experience with wild fire and we worry about it all the time. We pack evacuation kits in the spring ffs

And, my poor dog was trembling between us in the bed all night

[Torchlight]

33. Different people will react to different things in different ways

If it hurts no one and works for them, I'm not really in position to tell them their experiences or sentiments are misplaced.

[Hortensis]

34. Agree. I've been watching the nation go this direction for decades

and increasingly realized only coming to crises would bring people to awareness of the need to stop it. So watching it happen is anxiety-provoking -- what if enough people don't react as they need to? What if those who didn't vote for Democrats before still don't? -- but a positive point in that it needed to happen.

There really is a positive side to hearing people who frivolously imagined 2016 was about national healthcare -- when it was really about the right of the people to to choose to have it and much else -- finally get alarmed. BUT, will they VOTE? HOW MANY will vote? HOW MANY will vote Democrat?

Mind you, all this "it's all over" and "democracy is dead" crap on DU is NOT the turning point I've been waiting for. But I remind myself that in my entire life of associating with liberals/Democrats I've never met as many people who talk that way as come to this forum in a day. I say "strangely" because a Democratic forum is for the kind of liberal-minded people who FOUGHT to CREATE our constitution and all the rights and programs that come from it in the first place -- under much tougher opposition because they were the first times. Believers!

We had a very nice Independence Day with our family of believers, then we fogies left the rest to it and watched the spectacular Macy's and Capitol programs while sipping and munching in our easy chairs in our comfy, secure homes. Wow!

[dwayneb]

44. We are at war here in the USA

and we have been for some time.

Who is winning the war? It's not Democrats and Liberals - many of them that I talk with have no clue where this is going or comprehend the reality that we may have had the last free and fair election in our lifetime.

I've been predicting this all my life, for 50 years after I became politically conscious. But Americans lived their head in the sand fairy tale lives and played with their electronic toys, rather than doing the hard work to protect their rights and freedoms.

[Hortensis]

49. You're wrong that we're not winning. They captured important ground

while some of us let ourselves be fooled by ambitious zealots and distracted by shiny objects. But you're missing the reality that a VERY large majority of Americans do not want what we're threatened with and were raised to believe that we are supposed to rule, not be ruled.

That's OUR power and our institution an extremist minority have managed to temporarily control and attack everyone, including themselves, with. The RW extremists who are always with us are having a high point, but in the end it is OUR power. They are enormously outmatched, and there is no point at which they could take control and keep it.

[Demsrule86]

35. Not me. I went to our parade and had a big family party where my one year old Grand-daughter

was the star...we ate too much, laughed often and enjoyed being together...I will not allow the right to take away all that is good. Fuck them. And if I felt endangered, I would buy a guy and fight back. fuck them.

[muriel_volestrangler]

37. How does "FG" relate to the mass shooter?

Those are not his initials. The mass shooting is the obvious reason people haven't enjoyed the day.

As far as general optimism goes, the Supreme Court has just taken the USA back 50 years, and threatens to take it back another 20. It also looks like it will OK all Republican gerrymandering, so they won't be dislodged from the court for years, and Republicans will control many states whether or not they win the vote - so they will pass authoritarian laws removing the rights won over those 70 years.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

47. Totally agree. Horrific events. Maybe just looking for savvier

people?.. Perhaps we elected them? Out of box thinkers, doers, effectors? People we might have worked for? To right the ship!??

I just know after years in the business world, there would be all kinds of analysis and lessons learned and retooling if similar to our current state. It would be a fools errand to stand up and say you didn't care, you just plain ole liked the CEO.

[Elessar Zappa]

39. I enjoyed it!

Conservatives won’t take away my happiness. Fuck ‘em.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

48. +1

[Vinca]

52. Our democracy is about to slip away from us. Can't see much to celebrate.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

53. I know Vinca! But we're in charge. There gets to be a point

Where you think, life is short? Enjoy some moments? Fretting too long??

[Laura PourMeADrink]

54. What could we do? We being ordinary citizens? Of

course other than voting and working for local Dems. Hoping we keep the House. Hoping we keep the Senate? When is it their turn? When is it their turn to step up and think outside the box and figure this fucking mess out?