Unqualified Offerings

By Thoreau

First, I should preface this by saying that I just went through a DUI checkpoint.  A dozen cops standing around at a low-traffic intersection, and I’ll bet that a lot of them are collecting overtime for this.  Interestingly, he didn’t ask me “Have  you had anything to drink tonight?”  He just wanted to see my license, registration, and insurance.  There’s nothing that a libertarian loves more than going through a checkpoint and showing his papers to a man with a gun.  So, yeah, let’s celebrate American freedom!  Or something.

Anyway, like every other public observance, July 4 celebrations have a lot of obligatory gestures of gratitude towards our standing army.  Here we are, commemorating an act of defiance by people who didn’t want a standing army and led a local insurgency against a global military superpower, and with no sense of irony we are asked to thank the people fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Now, I’m not saying we should blame the people in uniform, or spend July 4 saying “Screw you, redcoat!” to people in camouflage.  I’m just saying that if you want to celebrate an insurgency against a superpower, it’s probably not the best time to also celebrate people fighting insurgents on behalf of a superpower.  They may be fine people doing what they do for good reasons, but this day isn’t about what they’re doing.  As much as I love my grandfather and stepfather, I don’t buy gifts for them on Mother’s Day.

Besides, given the views of the Founders concerning standing armies, if you absolutely MUST celebrate some armed government employees on July 4, celebrate the National Guard and military reserves.  You might also send a thank-you note to the nearest French consulate while you’re at it, given their role in our battle for independence.

And if you really want to celebrate and preserve American freedom, make a donation to the ACLU.  And read a book that somebody tried to ban.