Hello America,
On July 3, 1776 John Adams wrote a letter predicting that July 2nd would be “the most memorable epoch in the history of America.”
His excitement after the Declaration of Independence was adopted was uncontainable. The words leapt off the pen as he foresaw a “great anniversary festival” complete with pomp and parade, shows, games, bonfires, and guns commemorating the occasion “from this time forward forevermore” in America.
He was right – all except for the date, of course. Because of revisions, the Declaration wasn’t officially accepted until two days later on July 4th, and ever since Americans have made sure to never forget the day of “deliverance” as Adams referred to it.
Adams was so overwhelmed with emotion he couldn’t possibly fathom anyone ever wanting to undo what the Founders had just done – so he predicted, without hesitation, that the day would be celebrated forevermore. What he couldn’t have predicted, and perhaps as a God-fearing man he should have, was the rise of those who preferred a controlled population over a free one.
In the last century, progressives have fought to diminish, distort, and smear nearly all the good the Founders achieved. Instead of being revered as visionaries and thanking them for leaving us the greatest nation ever known – the Founders are painted as racists, while America is blamed for nearly every problem in the world today. Instead of celebrating America, generations of youth are being trained to be ashamed of America.
In schools across the country, students are reprimanded for wearing American flag shirts in an effort not to offend foreign students. Others are reprimanded for chanting "USA! USA!" because it is considered "incendiary" language. These same students then turn on the TV and watch their President travel to foreign nations and apologize for all the mistakes America has made. No wonder July 4th has become little more than figuring out where the best fireworks display will be.
I believe this is intentional. For example, this administration has cancelled July 4th celebrations on several military bases due to alleged ‘sequester’ cuts. The State Department spent $630,000 to get more ‘likes’ on Facebook, the President spent millions flying to Africa alone – yet they deny our men and women in uniform the chance to celebrate the very freedoms they secure for millions? It’s a disgrace.
There is a reason for all the pomp and parade, shows, games, bonfires (guns? not so much anymore – I’m sure Adams would be perplexed at that one) – and that reason is independence. July 4th deserves a grand celebration because freedom is the grandest gift of all.
On Saturday, we are staging our very first Independence Day event, Man in the Moon. We designed this program as a vehicle to undo the decades of harm progressives have done to American history and the meaning of being American. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness has been replaced with handouts, redistribution of wealth, and government mandated happiness.
Man in the Moon is the biggest event we’ve ever attempted, but, believe it or not, what we have planned for the future will dwarf this project. Ultimately, we want to host the premiere Fourth of July celebration in America. I envision an entire Independence Week of events, not just one show. I believe the market is starving for someone to not only put on a great celebration, but to provide real reflection and meaning as to why we are celebrating.
When people are reminded of how we got here and why we are (for now) free to do as we wish, they are overwhelmed with that same sense of emotion that Adams had the day after the Declaration was adopted. And that emotion will ensure July 4th remains the “the most memorable epoch in the history of America” from this time forward, forevermore.
We can no longer afford to listen to the voices shaming and blaming America.
We can no longer afford to listen to those who wish to fundamentally transform America into something it is not.
Those who risked their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to create the greatest nation in the history of planet Earth deserve better and so do the future generations of Americans who will live here.
Happy Independence Day, America. May yours be filled with freedom, fun, pomp, and parade.
Laus Deo,