July 4 - nothing to celebrate

 

Protest outside the U.S. NSA spy base in North Yorkshire, England

 

I don't celebrate July 4.

Actually a group of us peaceniks walked in the Bath, Maine parade today with peace banners and a radical marching band playing anti-war songs. Between our group and the band we were about 20 people. It was the only band in the parade - a first in my experience. No high school marching bands. What happened to them - defunded? Some folks watching the parade really gave us a good reaction. The parade in Bath is said to be the biggest in the state.

Mark Roman, Amelia Hoag and I carried this banner.

 

This photo is from a years past Bath July 4 parade. Amelia Hoag (now in high school) is the one on the left side of the photo next to MB. Our friend Leanne is in the middle.

July 4 is a celebration of Washington's long lost imperial wishes. The empire though today is in full collapse mode.

I would hope people around the world would step up their opposition to the USA and help bring on a multi-polar world that rejects western colonialism and western corporate domination.

We all have a role to help make this happen.

I sadly hear quite a few Americans these days talk about a coming nuclear war as if it was inevitable or acceptable. It's not. It is indeed arrogant to say such things as if we had the right to determine the fate of the planet in such a horrid way. But that is how many think because of the years of indoctrination about the US being the 'exceptional nation'.

One fortunate thing with my growing up in a military family was all the different cultures I experienced in our constant moves around the US and overseas. Americans are not the 'tops'. Actually, by and large, most Americans are quite uninformed and much more boring than other cultures.

A friend and I were writing to one another on email about this 'accepting Armageddon' mindset and I told him, "That is why our voices are so crucial today - we must try every avenue to protect the future generations."

Help us do just that please by publicly rejecting the US-UK-NATO war project that utilizes well over 800 Pentagon military installations around the world as the hammer to keep the imperial boot on the neck of the world.

People are fed up with us - especially in the Global South.  

 

First bloom of my new peace rose bush planted this spring. It's fitting the rose fully opens on July 4. 

Plant seeds even in the midst of Neo-con warmongers. Beauty is needed now more than ever. Keep paddling always....

Bruce