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His speech was not horrible but I don't think Trump understands what the celebration is for.
We could look to Thomas Jefferson for guidance as to the meaning of Independence Day for us and all men in the world.
"May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all) the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains, under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings & security of self-government. That form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view. The palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God. These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them."
I find it hard to believe that Trump believes in that.
He has no idea what western liberalism is, why the founders thought it is important and why previous presidents did not "take meetings" with dictators.
Some of his best friends are chainers.
Less than a week before his Fourth of July celebration, he walked into the literal prison state of North Korea and was impressed "When you talk about a wall, when you talk about a border, that's what they call a border. Nobody goes through that border." He didn't call for the self-determination of the people, but had a smiling photo op with the man who is binding them in servitude.
Jefferson said “the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion.”
Trump spent the week prior to his July 4th show, joking with his friend Vlad about how he cracks down on journalists expressing their freedom of opinion.
Trump doesn't fight to help those booted and spurred by the “favored few.” His despotic administration is being run by his family, including his favored son-in-law who meets in private with the guy who ordered the murder, dismemberment and dissolving in acid the body of a man who was arguing for a free society.
The United States of America is not merely a country, but an idea.
It’s about the choice that we make between submission and the sword, a signal to rouse men throughout the world and a celebration of inalienable rights.
And each year we remember and celebrate that, so we don't find ourselves with saddles on our backs, and we do things as a people and government that enables others to gain their freedom.
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