(also posted at dKos )
Even before American independence had been declared, let alone won, John Adams was telling us how to celebrate it! Talk about vision!
It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.
First I’d like to thank the people who are defending my right to celebrate the way our Founding Fathers intended. The men and women of the military, serving wherever Bush saw fit to send them; and the patriotic Americans protesting the war in places like Fort Lewis and Washington DC.
Follow me to the parade…
The local Independence Day parade is the biggest annual event for the community band I play in. Parades are probably pretty similar wherever you are: marching bands, Shriner clowns, veterans groups, Scout groups, car clubs, politicians and beauty queens waving from convertibles. Also the worst enemy of marching bands everywhere: people on horses.
There are some ethnic organizations too – one of the most politically interesting is a large Falun Gong group. Though mostly ethnic Chinese, they aren’t allowed in the Chinese
New Year parade (run by mostly pro-Beijing Chinese). [My band isn’t invited to that parade either, although we always march for St. Patrick’s day and Italian Heritage (previously called Columbus Day).
But before I can parade tomorrow, there is the ritual of the Annual Polishing. I guess the car club guys waxing their beautiful ’57 Bel Airs have to work harder, but it sure seems like about two acres of silver while I’m doing it.
This was about three hours of work.
Still not Marine Band shiny, but the best this horn has looked in the four years I’ve owned it. First Bass ready for action.
So, is anyone else here parading, or watching a parade?