I feel & hurt with you, but you MUST celebrate your wonderful country today

[Bernardo de La Paz]

I lived in the US for decades, though I never took out US citizenship and I'm back in Canada for some years now. Us Canadians are being mightily hurt by tRump lunacy, but we know the people of the US of A are hurting too from Republicon cruelty. We love the people of the US even as we loathe the orange regime.

The US of A is still a beautiful country and full of great ideals and wonderful people. The "American idea" is stronger than any regime and will endure and triumph over the stupids and the idiots and the corrupt. There will be hard times until the corner is turned, but the goodness of America is not gone, only suppressed for a while.

I miss all you good people. It will be a while before I can visit the US, but in time we will have you back. Be strong and be of good cheer. Today I will raise a glass of beer in your honour.

[Walleye]

1. Not long ago, I heard a French news person say something like:

Americans are still Americans, they are friendly and helpful. Keep that in mind we are friendly, helpful and we are generous. That’s really who we are, not this poor excuse for a nation we seem to be right now

[yardwork]

8. I just returned from a visit to France and I was surprised at the positivity toward America.

Everywhere I went - especially in Paris - young people said "oh I love the U.S." I asked why, especially now.

I was told that "America stands for brotherhood, equality, freedom." They remember how we helped them with their revolution and in the world wars. They seemed to view Trump as a temporary aberration.

One uber driver told me, "We have the same problems. Macron is not a good president."

I was at equating Macron to Trump. I guess the grass is always greener.

Anyway, many people around the world are looking to us. We need to fix this.

[HarryM]

22. Maybe the French could help US

come up with a French Revolution solution to this mess?

[yardwork]

28. They helped us the first time....

[NJCher]

24. it was only when USAid was dismantled

we are generous. That’s really who we are, not this poor excuse for a nation we seem to be right now

that I realized how much good we do, and that's only part of it. OK, gone now, but it will return. As the OP says, just a reprieve, hiatus, break, whatever you want to call it, but it will be back.

[gab13by13]

26. It will not be easy to reinstate USAID

if Dems ever regain power. Other countries will have moved on past us, or people just died.

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. What a kind, thoughtful, encouraging post.

Thank you for that, and for our bonds

[Bernardo de La Paz]

30. You are most welcome. It is heartfelt. . . . nt

[gab13by13]

3. There is nothing to celebrate by this patriot who believes in democracy.

249 years ago our nation fought to rid ourselves of being ruled by a king. No way in hell will I celebrate having a king 249 years later.

Give me your time frame of when we will regain what has been taken away from us?

If Democrats were to sweep the elections in 2026 and 2028 would we be able to make a difference with a Supreme Court that is complicit with the super rich to make Republicans above the law and Democrats subject to the law?

Democrats big mistake over the years is to not hold Republicans accountable. If Democrats were to totally regain power they would need to find a way to arrest the 6 members of the Supreme Court, to arrest Krasnov, Steven Miller, Kristi Noem, and others and send them to the Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity.

The New ICE department could just as well be called our Gestapo, it will be manned by every mercenary whose only qualification will be loyalty to our king.

We need to be making plans today to fight, not to celebrate.

[chicoescuela]

5. I agree 110% with you.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. You can do both at the same time. The US of A is worth fighting for and worth celebrating. . . . nt

[Martin Eden]

4. Thank you for your support and encouragement

We definitely must be strong to save what we are celebrating today, but "good cheer" is difficult to muster when the highest ideals of America's founding are being ripped to shreds by a regime that has already done so much damage less than 6 months into a 4 year term.

More like grim determination than good cheer, but it certainly is vital to keep our spirits up with hope and resolve.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

37. Grim determination is what is needed. An angry warrior is a dead warrior

I agree with all your points.

[Mystery sage]

6. Sorry but I can't

Our country is becoming a formal shadow of itself I no longer believe in anything that makes me proud of this country.

By understand your sentiment really I do but the big factor here that you're in Canada you don't have to worry at all about the Orange Menace as you're safe behind your president and it's more responsible government as for us the American we have to survive by ourselves no one is in unity or if they are I don't see it

Either way thanks for the sentiment, regardless

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. If you are unable to see how Canadian sovereignty, economy and friendships are hurting

... then don't worry about us, just focus on yourself.

But if you can, wake up and look at things from the (nuanced) perspective of your nearest neighbours and even more distant nations.

And learn a bit more about the world beyond your borders. Your closest neighbour and (we hope) friend does not have a "president". Not every country is a clone of the US. No wonder you can't see how we are different and also hurting if you can't see this basic fact about our sovereignty.

Sorry I had to make this departure from what I have been hoping would be an upbeat thread honouring the US ideals.

[gab13by13]

9. In Amsterdam in 1944, a neighbor of Anne Frank

was following the law and turned in Anne Frank, who was breaking the law. The Gestapo arrested her and her family. 2 months later Anne and her sister died from typhus in a concentration camp.

How the fuck is the United States today any different than that?

One person who was kidnapped from the US has been returned to plead his case. How many more are sitting in concentration camps who were abducted and not returned?

Make no mistake, where these people are being taken are not prisons, prisoners have rights, they are concentration camps.

[Autumn]

10. I have better things to do than celebrate a shithole country,

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. It seems and feels like one now, but it is not actually a shithole country. . . . nt

[Autumn]

13. Tell me. Are you afraid to go grocery shopping because you might not get to

come back home and you can end up who knows where? Your family won't even know where you are? I was born and raised here and yes, it is a shithole fucking country.

[gab13by13]

20. Yup, our great country is being governed based on fear and retribution.

Krasnov wants all of us to be afraid, wants us to hide away and facilitate his move to dictator.

Too many people believe that "they" aren't coming after me. This Big Ugly Death Bill is going to put a lot of mercenaries out on the streets and I'm afraid they will quickly run out of rapists and murderers to kidnap. The Gestapo is coming. Krasnov could get away with arresting everyone here who posts on DU who has said anything bad about Krasnov, as being an enemy of the state, it's coming.

[gab13by13]

15. The only small light in the tunnel

is that I believe there are many more good people in America than Nazis, but I refuse to whistle past the graveyard.

I must have gotten 20 texts yesterday to donate to politicians' campaign funds, waiting that long is too late. I donate to the ACLU and Indivisible. I see that a women's movement organized pro-democracy events today all across the country, something Ken Martin should be doing.

[Emile]

12. I put out my flag. I refuse to give up my patriotism

to hypocritical republicans. My neighbors, all Republicans, all have flags out. Not once during Biden's term did they display the flag. I'm letting them know, I'm better than them.

[gab13by13]

18. My flag is always out.

My dad followed Patton all over Europe fighting Nazis. He made me promise that his grave would always have an American flag on it which I do.

My dad would be horrified at America, not all Americans, America today.

Most unwashed Americans haven't figured out what a minority of super rich people have done to this country.

[Lonestarblue]

14. I will celebrate that I have lived most of my life in a country that of personal freedom. That country is now gone.

I have always believed that our country is imperfect but that it was moving toward greater equality. That belief is gone. I have never been embarrassed to be an American until now because Trump and Republicans have turned the image of the US into a country filled with hateful, violent people who simply shoot and kill others because they’re angry. It’s a country where nonwhite people are not welcome, including its own citizens, and where even white people are not allowed to visit if they’ve ever criticized Trump, or Vance. But white South Africans who support apartheid are welcomed. Our standing in the world has declined significantly, and I have little hope that it will improve for whatever years I have left.

[OldBaldy1701E]

17. "There will be hard times until the corner is turned..."

Which will include my death as well as a few others here, because we will be unable to get medical help of any kind. Not to mention those who will die from being persecuted by our very own government.

You want me to celebrate this? I mean, if I could 'celebrate' my own demise, I probably would, but the others may not be as far gone as I am. They would probably find such celebrations a bit insulting, don't you think?

[Torchlight]

19. It's a three-day weekend this year

That about all I've got.

I'm not going to smile and eat a pie covered in shit, even if it's apple cinammon.. just not to my taste. I'll see how it comes out of the oven next year.

[Kali]

21. Very kind

Thank you

[CaptainTruth]

23. Thank you. The US population is about 340 million...

...77 million voted for Trump. That's less than 25% of the population. He also got less than 50% of the vote.

I refuse to allow them to define my country for me, I will not surrender in advance.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

25. Well and truly written. . . . . nt

[gab13by13]

35. Define it for me please.

The majority of the country are fine upright people, what does that have do with what our country has become?

Are our 3 branches of government working today as our founders intended? If not, we are no longer a democratic Constitutional Republic.

The president ignores the courts and Congressional laws and issues illegal EO's.
The Congress abdicated its power to president and is working with him, instead of being a check on him, to become our dictator.
The Supreme Court has neutered our lower courts and taken the power away from them and given it to itself. 6 members of the Supreme court have made our president above the law, 6 members of the Supreme Court are working with the president to enact his policies which will enable him to become a dictator.

Krasnov and his cabinet and advisors and 6 members of the Supreme Court should be on trial today at the Hague for crimes against humanity.

The majority of Americans can go about living their lives in bliss and not making waves, that's what leads to authoritarianism.

[Vogon_Glory]

27. This 4th is different. I'm celebrating what we were, mourning what we've become

And praying that we’ll find our way back to being a good country again.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

29. I completely understand that perspective and the hope. Well stated. . . . nt

[llmart]

31. At this moment in time...

how about you and I switch places? Can we? I'll go live in Canada until I croak, and you can come here to the US and take your chances at not being deported, because make no mistake about it. Trump and his cabal hate Canadians too. They are all about vengeance for anyone who's not kissing their behinds.

[redwitch]

32. Thank you!

I don’t have it in me to celebrate today but I’m trying to keep hope alive. I love your country, Canadians are the best!

[Taraman]

33. I appreciate the optimism

but I'm probably too old to see America "turn the corner" (if it does).

My family has been here since 1650. I feel a deep sadness for my country today.

[Simple-truth2025]

34. We need to reclaim the USA

We cannot afford to give up now. Yes there are challenges right now. If the Minute Men had given up when outnumbered by British army where would we be?
Now is the time to dig in and do the work. We still have much to celebrate. There's a time for everything. Today we celebrate what is right with the USA 🇺🇸

[ImNotGod]

36. No thanks, nothing to celebrate unless you have a one way ticket out of shithole USA. nt

[Upthevibe]

38. Bernardo de La Paz............

Thank you for your wonderful post.

It's not a happy 4th for me or my friends today....

I'm hoping someday this will be behind us....

[ck4829]

39. Here's Zohran Mamdani on it...

America is beautiful, contradictory, unfinished. I am proud of our country even as we constantly strive to make it better, to protect and deepen our democracy, to fulfill its promise for each and every person who calls it home.

Happy Independence Day. No Kings in America.

https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:j5hrotody26iqi24hcusufxu/post/3lt5n6jn34s2d?ref_src=embed&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fdemocraticunderground.com%252F100220458990

[Bernardo de La Paz]

41. That's the kind of sentiment I endorse. Thanks for bringing it. . . . nt

[Wingus Dingus]

40. There are still good people here, and good things here. But it's all under attack.

Our way of life, our lands, our environment, our national reputation, our values, our safety, our health, our freedoms--all under attack, in every way. We've been handed over to the mean, greedy, toxic, and ignorant forces among us, and I'm not hopeful that we will find a way back.

[godsentme]

42. Thank you

Very much appreciate your kind words. I just poured a Kahlua and cream but will open a beer later and think of you.

[usedtobedemgurl]

43. No

[peacebuzzard]

44. I will toast to your honorable statement sometime next month from Prague

I am planning on a 1st time trip to the Czech Republic just to drink a Pilsner (pilzner) at the factory.

[Vinca]

45. If I was living in Canada I might share your optimism. Hard to celebrate what used to be.