Independence Day

July 4 seems like as good a time as any to look at where we are as a country. And the picture is not too pretty. The present administration has led us to a war based on false pretenses, has drained the US Treasury and has given over enormous power to a cadre of religious zealots and anti-government fanatics.
There is so much more that I want to say, but the prospect of writing such a gloomy piece just does not seem in keeping with what should be a celebratory day. Today, we should be marking our progress as a society and honoring those who came before us who risked, and gave, their lives for our freedom, the countless numbers of men and women who believed in the promise of America and freedom for all her people and staked their own futures on her promise. For them, this day should be a celebration, a time for Americans to reflect and to be thankful for those who preceded us in this great land.
And, for those reasons, I will refrain from a diatribe against our current administration. Unlike the vulgarians now in power, I believe that honor and truth and dignity actually matter.