#independenceday — Public Fediverse posts

Happy Independence Day, Eswatini 🇸🇿
On 6 September, Eswatini’s history since independence has included constitutional change, the restoration of monarchical rule and continuing debates over political participation and civic freedoms.

Independence remains a useful moment to reflect on sovereignty, democratic participation, human rights and the aspirations of the people of Eswatini. 🙏🏾

#Eswatini #IndependenceDay #Africa #Democracy #HumanRights

Photo: ©️@Efyakimora

Happy Independence Day, Eswatini 🇸🇿
On 6 September, Eswatini’s history since independence has included constitutional change, the restoration of monarchical rule and continuing debates over political participation and civic freedoms.

Independence remains a useful moment to reflect on sovereignty, democratic participation, human rights and the aspirations of the people of Eswatini. 🙏🏾

#Eswatini #IndependenceDay #Africa #Democracy #HumanRights

Photo: ©️@Efyakimora

Happy Independence Day, Eswatini 🇸🇿
On 6 September, Eswatini’s history since independence has included constitutional change, the restoration of monarchical rule and continuing debates over political participation and civic freedoms.

Independence remains a useful moment to reflect on sovereignty, democratic participation, human rights and the aspirations of the people of Eswatini. 🙏🏾

#Eswatini #IndependenceDay #Africa #Democracy #HumanRights

Photo: ©️@Efyakimora

Happy Independence Day, Eswatini 🇸🇿
On 6 September, Eswatini’s history since independence has included constitutional change, the restoration of monarchical rule and continuing debates over political participation and civic freedoms.

Independence remains a useful moment to reflect on sovereignty, democratic participation, human rights and the aspirations of the people of Eswatini. 🙏🏾

#Eswatini #IndependenceDay #Africa #Democracy #HumanRights

Photo: ©️@Efyakimora

Happy Independence Day, Eswatini 🇸🇿
On 6 September, Eswatini’s history since independence has included constitutional change, the restoration of monarchical rule and continuing debates over political participation and civic freedoms.

Independence remains a useful moment to reflect on sovereignty, democratic participation, human rights and the aspirations of the people of Eswatini. 🙏🏾

#Eswatini #IndependenceDay #Africa #Democracy #HumanRights

Photo: ©️@Efyakimora

Saturday, August 22, 2026

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/08/saturday-august-22-2026/

NASCAR returns to Iowa Speedway for July 4 weekend in 2027 https://www.rawchili.com/5065686/ ##NEWTON #2027RaceWeekend #ARCAMenardsSeries #CentralIowa #E15Ethanol #EricPeterson #FanConcourse #fourth #FourthOfJulyWeekend #IndependenceDay #IowaCorn #IowaCorn350 #IowaSpeedway #July #KimReynolds #motorsports #nascar #NascarCupSeries #NascarCupSeriesRace #NewtonClub #NewtonClubArea #NewtonTrack #O'reillyAutoPartsSeries #Official #RacingSurface #RepavedSurface #suites #sunday #TrackRepave #weekend

NASCAR returns to Iowa Speedway for July 4 weekend in 2027 https://www.rawchili.com/5065686/ ##NEWTON #2027RaceWeekend #ARCAMenardsSeries #CentralIowa #E15Ethanol #EricPeterson #FanConcourse #fourth #FourthOfJulyWeekend #IndependenceDay #IowaCorn #IowaCorn350 #IowaSpeedway #July #KimReynolds #motorsports #nascar #NascarCupSeries #NascarCupSeriesRace #NewtonClub #NewtonClubArea #NewtonTrack #O'reillyAutoPartsSeries #Official #RacingSurface #RepavedSurface #suites #sunday #TrackRepave #weekend

Hollow Mockery: Douglass, Jefferson, and 250 Years of a Promise Unkept

Mike Cone

“Your 4th of July is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license . . . your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery.”
— Frederick Douglass (1852)

These words still resonate today.

In the wake of our celebration of the 250th birthday of our independence, let us not forget the ugly truths in the birth and history of this nation. To wash over these truths, as our current administration is wont to do, is tantamount to erasing that part of our past which we should strive to learn from, and to better ourselves as a people, to truly become that nation where the words penned by Thomas Jefferson are not just hollow mockery, but true:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are the unalienable rights bestowed upon us. These rights are not to be infringed upon for any reason, whether it be race, color, ethnicity, religious beliefs or social status. For this to be true, we as a people need to understand and accept that indeed “ALL” men are created equal. In this regard, we have failed as a nation time and time again. There are numerous examples of our nation suppressing the civil liberties of the many throughout our history: chattel slavery, the Tulsa Race Massacre, forced dispossession of ancestral Native American lands, Selma, Alabama, Jim Crow laws, the Alien and Sedition Acts, Japanese internment, Kent State, the Patriot Act, just to name a few. Hell, even Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War.

My point in all this is we need to do better. It is morally important that we learn from our past and not ignore or erase it just because at times it can be ugly and messy. We need to continue to move forward, toward morality and virtue, because virtue will always prevail.

Our current president is unwilling in this regard. 

President Trump is the converse of morality and virtue and continually seems to move us backward with his version of revisionist history, distorting, altering and even falsifying historical evidence to fit his agenda. He is forever suppressing or attempting to suppress the civil liberties of those who oppose him. He has actively supported and empowered local governments to ban and remove books from public institutions. He has removed or altered exhibits, plaques and monuments from our National Parks, exhibits he terms “inappropriately disparaging to Americans past or living.” These exhibits include the nation’s first executive mansion, which detailed the nine people enslaved by George Washington; the Bunker Hill Monument, to eliminate language he deemed contrary to founding principles; and locations highlighting Japanese American internment and Native American conflicts. He has sent federal troops into our cities in direct defiance of the Posse Comitatus Act. He has allowed his defense secretary, who some call a Christian White Nationalist, to deny high-ranking promotions to senior Army and Navy officers, the majority being women and minorities, and to intervene in a Navy one-star admiral promotion list, removing nine highly vetted officers. The final list of 22 nominees contained zero women and only two non-white officers. Finally, his immigration policies appear to be an obvious attempt to rid the country of Black and Brown people. This is just a small sample of Trump’s penchant for authoritarianism and what this author feels is a deep hatred and disdain for anyone other than his own race. Donald Trump is the ideological antithesis to the phrase “all men are created equal.”

With that said, I was having a conversation with my good friend Nick Allison, an Army combat veteran and fellow Chaos Section contributor, the other day and mentioned my feelings of anger and visceral disgust for our current administration, so much so that I could not find a reason to celebrate our 250 years of independence, particularly as a veteran. I’ll end with Nick’s response:

“You know what? I think we can always find a reason to celebrate, regardless of the current occupant in the Oval Office, because there are always things and ideas and people worth celebrating. This is still a great country with great people and a wonderfully unique experiment in constitutional representative freedom. It gets messy and sometimes runs off the rails, but that’s kind of the whole point of the experiment: we’re a nation of people governing ourselves, which means it’s on us to correct course when things go sideways. Most of human history has been kings, monarchs and strongmen who never had to answer to anybody. Making it 250 years as a self-correcting experiment, messy and beautiful and stupid and wonderful all at once, is reason enough to celebrate. Don’t let one egotistical, narcissistic old man who will be out of office in a couple years, dead within ten, take that away from you.”

Mike Cone is a Marine Corps infantry veteran who served as a mortarman and forward observer in Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines. “Hollow Mockery” is his first piece for The Chaos Section. He lives on Long Island with his wife Cynthia.

Hollow Mockery: Douglass, Jefferson, and 250 Years of a Promise Unkept

Mike Cone

“Your 4th of July is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license . . . your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery.”
— Frederick Douglass (1852)

These words still resonate today.

In the wake of our celebration of the 250th birthday of our independence, let us not forget the ugly truths in the birth and history of this nation. To wash over these truths, as our current administration is wont to do, is tantamount to erasing that part of our past which we should strive to learn from, and to better ourselves as a people, to truly become that nation where the words penned by Thomas Jefferson are not just hollow mockery, but true:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are the unalienable rights bestowed upon us. These rights are not to be infringed upon for any reason, whether it be race, color, ethnicity, religious beliefs or social status. For this to be true, we as a people need to understand and accept that indeed “ALL” men are created equal. In this regard, we have failed as a nation time and time again. There are numerous examples of our nation suppressing the civil liberties of the many throughout our history: chattel slavery, the Tulsa Race Massacre, forced dispossession of ancestral Native American lands, Selma, Alabama, Jim Crow laws, the Alien and Sedition Acts, Japanese internment, Kent State, the Patriot Act, just to name a few. Hell, even Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War.

My point in all this is we need to do better. It is morally important that we learn from our past and not ignore or erase it just because at times it can be ugly and messy. We need to continue to move forward, toward morality and virtue, because virtue will always prevail.

Our current president is unwilling in this regard. 

President Trump is the converse of morality and virtue and continually seems to move us backward with his version of revisionist history, distorting, altering and even falsifying historical evidence to fit his agenda. He is forever suppressing or attempting to suppress the civil liberties of those who oppose him. He has actively supported and empowered local governments to ban and remove books from public institutions. He has removed or altered exhibits, plaques and monuments from our National Parks, exhibits he terms “inappropriately disparaging to Americans past or living.” These exhibits include the nation’s first executive mansion, which detailed the nine people enslaved by George Washington; the Bunker Hill Monument, to eliminate language he deemed contrary to founding principles; and locations highlighting Japanese American internment and Native American conflicts. He has sent federal troops into our cities in direct defiance of the Posse Comitatus Act. He has allowed his defense secretary, who some call a Christian White Nationalist, to deny high-ranking promotions to senior Army and Navy officers, the majority being women and minorities, and to intervene in a Navy one-star admiral promotion list, removing nine highly vetted officers. The final list of 22 nominees contained zero women and only two non-white officers. Finally, his immigration policies appear to be an obvious attempt to rid the country of Black and Brown people. This is just a small sample of Trump’s penchant for authoritarianism and what this author feels is a deep hatred and disdain for anyone other than his own race. Donald Trump is the ideological antithesis to the phrase “all men are created equal.”

With that said, I was having a conversation with my good friend Nick Allison, an Army combat veteran and fellow Chaos Section contributor, the other day and mentioned my feelings of anger and visceral disgust for our current administration, so much so that I could not find a reason to celebrate our 250 years of independence, particularly as a veteran. I’ll end with Nick’s response:

“You know what? I think we can always find a reason to celebrate, regardless of the current occupant in the Oval Office, because there are always things and ideas and people worth celebrating. This is still a great country with great people and a wonderfully unique experiment in constitutional representative freedom. It gets messy and sometimes runs off the rails, but that’s kind of the whole point of the experiment: we’re a nation of people governing ourselves, which means it’s on us to correct course when things go sideways. Most of human history has been kings, monarchs and strongmen who never had to answer to anybody. Making it 250 years as a self-correcting experiment, messy and beautiful and stupid and wonderful all at once, is reason enough to celebrate. Don’t let one egotistical, narcissistic old man who will be out of office in a couple years, dead within ten, take that away from you.”

Mike Cone is a Marine Corps infantry veteran who served as a mortarman and forward observer in Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines. “Hollow Mockery” is his first piece for The Chaos Section. He lives on Long Island with his wife Cynthia.

Hollow Mockery: Douglass, Jefferson, and 250 Years of a Promise Unkept

Mike Cone

“Your 4th of July is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license . . . your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery.”
— Frederick Douglass (1852)

These words still resonate today.

In the wake of our celebration of the 250th birthday of our independence, let us not forget the ugly truths in the birth and history of this nation. To wash over these truths, as our current administration is wont to do, is tantamount to erasing that part of our past which we should strive to learn from, and to better ourselves as a people, to truly become that nation where the words penned by Thomas Jefferson are not just hollow mockery, but true:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are the unalienable rights bestowed upon us. These rights are not to be infringed upon for any reason, whether it be race, color, ethnicity, religious beliefs or social status. For this to be true, we as a people need to understand and accept that indeed “ALL” men are created equal. In this regard, we have failed as a nation time and time again. There are numerous examples of our nation suppressing the civil liberties of the many throughout our history: chattel slavery, the Tulsa Race Massacre, forced dispossession of ancestral Native American lands, Selma, Alabama, Jim Crow laws, the Alien and Sedition Acts, Japanese internment, Kent State, the Patriot Act, just to name a few. Hell, even Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War.

My point in all this is we need to do better. It is morally important that we learn from our past and not ignore or erase it just because at times it can be ugly and messy. We need to continue to move forward, toward morality and virtue, because virtue will always prevail.

Our current president is unwilling in this regard. 

President Trump is the converse of morality and virtue and continually seems to move us backward with his version of revisionist history, distorting, altering and even falsifying historical evidence to fit his agenda. He is forever suppressing or attempting to suppress the civil liberties of those who oppose him. He has actively supported and empowered local governments to ban and remove books from public institutions. He has removed or altered exhibits, plaques and monuments from our National Parks, exhibits he terms “inappropriately disparaging to Americans past or living.” These exhibits include the nation’s first executive mansion, which detailed the nine people enslaved by George Washington; the Bunker Hill Monument, to eliminate language he deemed contrary to founding principles; and locations highlighting Japanese American internment and Native American conflicts. He has sent federal troops into our cities in direct defiance of the Posse Comitatus Act. He has allowed his defense secretary, who some call a Christian White Nationalist, to deny high-ranking promotions to senior Army and Navy officers, the majority being women and minorities, and to intervene in a Navy one-star admiral promotion list, removing nine highly vetted officers. The final list of 22 nominees contained zero women and only two non-white officers. Finally, his immigration policies appear to be an obvious attempt to rid the country of Black and Brown people. This is just a small sample of Trump’s penchant for authoritarianism and what this author feels is a deep hatred and disdain for anyone other than his own race. Donald Trump is the ideological antithesis to the phrase “all men are created equal.”

With that said, I was having a conversation with my good friend Nick Allison, an Army combat veteran and fellow Chaos Section contributor, the other day and mentioned my feelings of anger and visceral disgust for our current administration, so much so that I could not find a reason to celebrate our 250 years of independence, particularly as a veteran. I’ll end with Nick’s response:

“You know what? I think we can always find a reason to celebrate, regardless of the current occupant in the Oval Office, because there are always things and ideas and people worth celebrating. This is still a great country with great people and a wonderfully unique experiment in constitutional representative freedom. It gets messy and sometimes runs off the rails, but that’s kind of the whole point of the experiment: we’re a nation of people governing ourselves, which means it’s on us to correct course when things go sideways. Most of human history has been kings, monarchs and strongmen who never had to answer to anybody. Making it 250 years as a self-correcting experiment, messy and beautiful and stupid and wonderful all at once, is reason enough to celebrate. Don’t let one egotistical, narcissistic old man who will be out of office in a couple years, dead within ten, take that away from you.”

Mike Cone is a Marine Corps infantry veteran who served as a mortarman and forward observer in Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines. “Hollow Mockery” is his first piece for The Chaos Section. He lives on Long Island with his wife Cynthia.

Hollow Mockery: Douglass, Jefferson, and 250 Years of a Promise Unkept

Mike Cone

“Your 4th of July is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license . . . your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery.”
— Frederick Douglass (1852)

These words still resonate today.

In the wake of our celebration of the 250th birthday of our independence, let us not forget the ugly truths in the birth and history of this nation. To wash over these truths, as our current administration is wont to do, is tantamount to erasing that part of our past which we should strive to learn from, and to better ourselves as a people, to truly become that nation where the words penned by Thomas Jefferson are not just hollow mockery, but true:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are the unalienable rights bestowed upon us. These rights are not to be infringed upon for any reason, whether it be race, color, ethnicity, religious beliefs or social status. For this to be true, we as a people need to understand and accept that indeed “ALL” men are created equal. In this regard, we have failed as a nation time and time again. There are numerous examples of our nation suppressing the civil liberties of the many throughout our history: chattel slavery, the Tulsa Race Massacre, forced dispossession of ancestral Native American lands, Selma, Alabama, Jim Crow laws, the Alien and Sedition Acts, Japanese internment, Kent State, the Patriot Act, just to name a few. Hell, even Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War.

My point in all this is we need to do better. It is morally important that we learn from our past and not ignore or erase it just because at times it can be ugly and messy. We need to continue to move forward, toward morality and virtue, because virtue will always prevail.

Our current president is unwilling in this regard. 

President Trump is the converse of morality and virtue and continually seems to move us backward with his version of revisionist history, distorting, altering and even falsifying historical evidence to fit his agenda. He is forever suppressing or attempting to suppress the civil liberties of those who oppose him. He has actively supported and empowered local governments to ban and remove books from public institutions. He has removed or altered exhibits, plaques and monuments from our National Parks, exhibits he terms “inappropriately disparaging to Americans past or living.” These exhibits include the nation’s first executive mansion, which detailed the nine people enslaved by George Washington; the Bunker Hill Monument, to eliminate language he deemed contrary to founding principles; and locations highlighting Japanese American internment and Native American conflicts. He has sent federal troops into our cities in direct defiance of the Posse Comitatus Act. He has allowed his defense secretary, who some call a Christian White Nationalist, to deny high-ranking promotions to senior Army and Navy officers, the majority being women and minorities, and to intervene in a Navy one-star admiral promotion list, removing nine highly vetted officers. The final list of 22 nominees contained zero women and only two non-white officers. Finally, his immigration policies appear to be an obvious attempt to rid the country of Black and Brown people. This is just a small sample of Trump’s penchant for authoritarianism and what this author feels is a deep hatred and disdain for anyone other than his own race. Donald Trump is the ideological antithesis to the phrase “all men are created equal.”

With that said, I was having a conversation with my good friend Nick Allison, an Army combat veteran and fellow Chaos Section contributor, the other day and mentioned my feelings of anger and visceral disgust for our current administration, so much so that I could not find a reason to celebrate our 250 years of independence, particularly as a veteran. I’ll end with Nick’s response:

“You know what? I think we can always find a reason to celebrate, regardless of the current occupant in the Oval Office, because there are always things and ideas and people worth celebrating. This is still a great country with great people and a wonderfully unique experiment in constitutional representative freedom. It gets messy and sometimes runs off the rails, but that’s kind of the whole point of the experiment: we’re a nation of people governing ourselves, which means it’s on us to correct course when things go sideways. Most of human history has been kings, monarchs and strongmen who never had to answer to anybody. Making it 250 years as a self-correcting experiment, messy and beautiful and stupid and wonderful all at once, is reason enough to celebrate. Don’t let one egotistical, narcissistic old man who will be out of office in a couple years, dead within ten, take that away from you.”

Mike Cone is a Marine Corps infantry veteran who served as a mortarman and forward observer in Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines. “Hollow Mockery” is his first piece for The Chaos Section. He lives on Long Island with his wife Cynthia.

Hollow Mockery: Douglass, Jefferson, and 250 Years of a Promise Unkept

Mike Cone

“Your 4th of July is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license . . . your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery.”
— Frederick Douglass (1852)

These words still resonate today.

In the wake of our celebration of the 250th birthday of our independence, let us not forget the ugly truths in the birth and history of this nation. To wash over these truths, as our current administration is wont to do, is tantamount to erasing that part of our past which we should strive to learn from, and to better ourselves as a people, to truly become that nation where the words penned by Thomas Jefferson are not just hollow mockery, but true:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are the unalienable rights bestowed upon us. These rights are not to be infringed upon for any reason, whether it be race, color, ethnicity, religious beliefs or social status. For this to be true, we as a people need to understand and accept that indeed “ALL” men are created equal. In this regard, we have failed as a nation time and time again. There are numerous examples of our nation suppressing the civil liberties of the many throughout our history: chattel slavery, the Tulsa Race Massacre, forced dispossession of ancestral Native American lands, Selma, Alabama, Jim Crow laws, the Alien and Sedition Acts, Japanese internment, Kent State, the Patriot Act, just to name a few. Hell, even Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War.

My point in all this is we need to do better. It is morally important that we learn from our past and not ignore or erase it just because at times it can be ugly and messy. We need to continue to move forward, toward morality and virtue, because virtue will always prevail.

Our current president is unwilling in this regard. 

President Trump is the converse of morality and virtue and continually seems to move us backward with his version of revisionist history, distorting, altering and even falsifying historical evidence to fit his agenda. He is forever suppressing or attempting to suppress the civil liberties of those who oppose him. He has actively supported and empowered local governments to ban and remove books from public institutions. He has removed or altered exhibits, plaques and monuments from our National Parks, exhibits he terms “inappropriately disparaging to Americans past or living.” These exhibits include the nation’s first executive mansion, which detailed the nine people enslaved by George Washington; the Bunker Hill Monument, to eliminate language he deemed contrary to founding principles; and locations highlighting Japanese American internment and Native American conflicts. He has sent federal troops into our cities in direct defiance of the Posse Comitatus Act. He has allowed his defense secretary, who some call a Christian White Nationalist, to deny high-ranking promotions to senior Army and Navy officers, the majority being women and minorities, and to intervene in a Navy one-star admiral promotion list, removing nine highly vetted officers. The final list of 22 nominees contained zero women and only two non-white officers. Finally, his immigration policies appear to be an obvious attempt to rid the country of Black and Brown people. This is just a small sample of Trump’s penchant for authoritarianism and what this author feels is a deep hatred and disdain for anyone other than his own race. Donald Trump is the ideological antithesis to the phrase “all men are created equal.”

With that said, I was having a conversation with my good friend Nick Allison, an Army combat veteran and fellow Chaos Section contributor, the other day and mentioned my feelings of anger and visceral disgust for our current administration, so much so that I could not find a reason to celebrate our 250 years of independence, particularly as a veteran. I’ll end with Nick’s response:

“You know what? I think we can always find a reason to celebrate, regardless of the current occupant in the Oval Office, because there are always things and ideas and people worth celebrating. This is still a great country with great people and a wonderfully unique experiment in constitutional representative freedom. It gets messy and sometimes runs off the rails, but that’s kind of the whole point of the experiment: we’re a nation of people governing ourselves, which means it’s on us to correct course when things go sideways. Most of human history has been kings, monarchs and strongmen who never had to answer to anybody. Making it 250 years as a self-correcting experiment, messy and beautiful and stupid and wonderful all at once, is reason enough to celebrate. Don’t let one egotistical, narcissistic old man who will be out of office in a couple years, dead within ten, take that away from you.”

Mike Cone is a Marine Corps infantry veteran who served as a mortarman and forward observer in Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines. “Hollow Mockery” is his first piece for The Chaos Section. He lives on Long Island with his wife Cynthia.

A quotation from Frederick Douglass

I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. — The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine.

Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) American abolitionist, orator, writer
Speech (1852-07-05), “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Corinthian Hall, Rochester, New York

More about this quote: wist.info/douglass-frederick/8…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #frederickdouglass #celebration #fourthofjuly #heritage #holiday #independenceday #inheritance #racism #slavery

A quotation from Frederick Douglass

I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. — The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine.

Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) American abolitionist, orator, writer
Speech (1852-07-05), “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Corinthian Hall, Rochester, New York

More about this quote: wist.info/douglass-frederick/8…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #frederickdouglass #celebration #fourthofjuly #heritage #holiday #independenceday #inheritance #racism #slavery

A quotation from Frederick Douglass

I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. — The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine.

Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) American abolitionist, orator, writer
Speech (1852-07-05), “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Corinthian Hall, Rochester, New York

More about this quote: wist.info/douglass-frederick/8…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #frederickdouglass #celebration #fourthofjuly #heritage #holiday #independenceday #inheritance #racism #slavery

A quotation from Frederick Douglass

I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. — The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine.

Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) American abolitionist, orator, writer
Speech (1852-07-05), “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Corinthian Hall, Rochester, New York

More about this quote: wist.info/douglass-frederick/8…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #frederickdouglass #celebration #fourthofjuly #heritage #holiday #independenceday #inheritance #racism #slavery

Trump Honors American Heroes And Founding Fathers During 250th Independence Day Celebration

The United States of America (USA) celebrated its 250th anniversary and during his 4th of July speech at the National Mall, US President Donald Trump honored the American heroes as well as the Founding Fathers of the nation, according to a news report by Newsmax.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the report of Newsmax. Some parts in boldface…

President Donald Trump celebrated America’s 250th anniversary in a rousing speech on the Fourth of July at the National Mall on Saturday night.

Trump delivered his remarks after 11 p.m. ET, after being delayed by over an hour due to lightning and heavy rains. But Trump said he would not be deterred in celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

“If we have to speak in front of one person at four in the morning I’m going to be here,” Trump said in a speech streamed live on Newsmax. “There’s no way we can be deterred.”

“Tonight we come together for one of the most joyous and glorious milestones of all time,” Trump added. “For two and a half centuries, our American Republic has stood as the crowning achievement of human history.

“This country is the home of freedom. This is the land of liberty. And this is a flag that’s the banner of the most extraordinary, most exceptional, most incredible nation ever to exist on the face of the Earth.”

The president said the American people have shown more courage, done more good, righted more injustice and achieved more greatness than anyone else.

“For 250 years, the United States of America has been the hope, the promise, the light and the glory among all of the nations of the world, all over the world, they try and be like us,” Trump said.

“Nobody can be like us, and with God’s help, we will always be this,” Trump added. “Or even better. We’re going to be better.”

Trump used his speech to honor numerous veterans who fought in American wars, bringing them on stage to salute the flag while telling their tales of heroism.

Among those honored were 104-year-old Ken Schrubing, who was just 19 years old when he survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and 101-year-old Don Graves, who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

“These are the fighters and the banners of the Greatest Generation,” Trump said. “They are the greatest generation. They saved the world and they made America very, very proud. We’re very proud of you, heroes all.“

Marine Corporal Pat Finn and Private First Class Rudy Meekins, who fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, were also honored, along with astronaut Jack Schmitt, the last American to walk on the moon, and the Artemis II flight crew.

Eleven Gold Star families were also presented with flags during Trump’s speech.

Speaking in front of the first American flags produced, Trump praised the Founding Fathers and the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

“Those 56 patriots put everything at risk, stepped onto the stage of destiny, and seized a victory for the ages,” Trump said.

Trump said the Founding Fathers have allowed America to thrive for 250 years.

“Our cause was just. Our people are brave, our culture is exceptional, and our destiny is written by God,” Trump said.

“And as we can see here tonight, after 250 years, the spirit of 1776 still lives within us all,” Trump added.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you delighted with the way America’s 250th anniversary was celebrated this year? Are you thankful to America’s Founding Fathers, war veterans and other brave heroes who kept the US a shining light on the world? Do you think the unpatriotic Americans will eventually realize they are wrong with their current beliefs and make a drastic change to love the United States again?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Gruselige Szenen: Was Trump sagte, während Nazis durch Washington marschierten!

https://pallenberg.video/w/fWpgZaQs1N6rnN5zH9PjCb

Listening to fireworks in Middle #Tennessee on the #FourthOfJuly and am reminded of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”; “Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing (apparently).” 🤷🏻‍♂️

#IndependenceDay celebrates #NoKings , right? 🤔

#Resist and #DoNotCollaborateWithFascists in #USpol.

Well, even if you don't feel like celebrating this 4th of July, maybe you can enjoy Dave Alvin's 4th of July
#July4th #FourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay #4thOfJuly
#DaveAlvin
https://youtu.be/mLRAbEyvyuU

Friends playing Frisbee on the big lawn by Groton Elementary School on July 3 for our nations' birthday

#photo #photography #sports #frisbee #groupportrait #friends #groton #july4 #independenceday #usa #unitedstates #america #festival

The Fourth of July
Declaring independence
From ev'ry Tyrant

#Haiku #OneHaikuADay #WritersCollective #writingcommunity #BackToHaiku #Summer #July #Fourth #4thofJuly #Independence #Declaration #DeclarationOfIndependence #NoKings #NoTyrants #IndependenceDay #Akron #Ohio #USA #Photography #2026

July 4, 2026

A BetTER Day

Independence has its day,
when o’er the skies fireworks display,
and dependence, too, is good,
as every tender spirit should

learn the grace of being held,
when pride is hushed, and fear is quelled.
But methinks we need another name,
a deeper word, a wider frame.

It happens after we let one IN,
past the surface, past the skin,
past the guarded gates we keep,
past the places where hurt runs deep.

In the space before DEPEND,
we see the other as vital friend,
all as branches from one tree,
as the grains of sand receive the sea.

Then add three letters, soft but true,
TER arrives and makes it new.
Not just me and not just thee,
but something born between the three.

In-TER-dependence names the art
of hand in hand and heart to heart,
while I am I, and you are you,
something sacred binds us too.

Independence stands alone,
dependence leans on flesh and bone,
but interdependence humbly sings:
we rise by sharing roots and wings.

July 4, 2015 (updated June 2026)

Hilarious #SitecoreLunch today. Discussed:

🌌 #CosmosDB
🏦 A little civics
🐟 Fishbowl cocktails
🎇 #IndependenceDay
🏴‍☠️ Flying country flags
🔢 Future of serialization
🟪 #Sitecore placeholders
🐭 #DisneyLand vs. #DisneyWorld
📝 Managing #Sitecore Page and Partial Designs

See you same time next week! 🥪🥗

Celebrate America 250 and the Fourth of July 2026: The Ultimate Guide to Fireworks, Festivals & Family Fun in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and the Triangle

Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday Across the Triangle

The Fourth of July is always one of the biggest celebrations of the summer, but 2026 is unlike any other year. Communities across North Carolina are commemorating America’s 250th Anniversary (America250) with patriotic festivals, historic celebrations, live music, parades, family activities, and spectacular fireworks displays.

Whether you’re planning a day in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Wake Forest, Apex, Knightdale, or other surrounding communities, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate Independence Day.

Raleigh: The Capital City’s Biggest Fourth of July Celebration

Raleigh will host one of North Carolina’s largest Independence Day celebrations.

Dorothea Dix Park Fireworks Celebration

Celebrate the Fourth at Dorothea Dix Park with:

• Live music
• Family activities
• Food trucks
• Lawn games
• Community vendors
• Fireworks beginning around 9:30 p.m.

The celebration runs from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. and is expected to draw thousands of visitors as part of Raleigh’s America250 festivities. (Raleigh NC⁠)

First in Freedom Parade

Downtown Raleigh will also host the First in Freedom July 4th Parade, celebrating North Carolina’s important role in American history and the nation’s 250th birthday.

Capitol 250 Freedom Fest

Spend part of your day at the North Carolina State Capitol enjoying:

• Historical exhibits
• Live entertainment
• Interactive activities
• Family programming
• North Carolina history displays

This free celebration highlights North Carolina’s contributions to America’s founding. (America250⁠)

Cary Independence Day Celebration

Cary continues its Independence Day tradition with an evening celebration at Koka Booth Amphitheatre.

Expect:

• Patriotic music
• North Carolina Symphony performance
• Family entertainment
• One of the area’s best fireworks shows

Bring lawn chairs or blankets and arrive early for the best viewing locations. (Facebook⁠)

Durham Fourth of July

Durham offers several family-friendly traditions throughout the day.

Highlights include:

• Durham Bulls Independence Day baseball game
• Post-game fireworks
• Children’s Parade at Durham Central Park
• Watts-Hillandale Fourth of July Parade
• Community celebrations throughout downtown

The Durham Bulls fireworks show remains one of the Triangle’s favorite Independence Day traditions. (ABC11 Raleigh-Durham⁠)

More Triangle Celebrations

Several nearby communities are hosting their own patriotic celebrations.

Chapel Hill

Fourth of July Drone Show

Instead of traditional fireworks, Chapel Hill presents a spectacular drone light show.

Preservation Chapel Hill Celebration

Celebrate with:

• Live music
• Ice cream
• Lemonade
• Historic grounds
• Family-friendly atmosphere

Carrboro

Carrboro’s annual celebration includes:

• People’s Parade
• Bike decorating contest
• Wagon decorating contest
• Costume contest
• Live music
• Baby crawl
• Pie eating contest

The afternoon concludes with a community reading of Frederick Douglass’ famous Independence Day address.

Garner

The annual Garner Independence Day Celebration features:

• North Carolina Symphony
• Family activities
• Kids Zone
• Food vendors
• Fireworks

Wake Forest

Wake Forest celebrates all weekend with:

Fireworks Spectacular (July 3)

• Live music
• Food
• Fireworks

Children’s Parade (July 4)

Kids decorate bikes and wagons before marching through downtown.

Art in the Park

Children can enjoy arts and crafts while firefighters serve free hot dogs.

Morrisville

Red, White & Boom!

Kick off the holiday weekend on Thursday with:

• Fireworks
• Live entertainment
• Family games
• Food trucks

Wendell

Celebrate with:

• Live music
• Food trucks
• Fireworks
• Community festivities

Knightdale

Fourth on First Avenue features:

• Bike parade
• Live entertainment
• Food trucks
• Family activities

Hillsborough

Together We Are America

An all-day Independence Day celebration featuring:

• Historic demonstrations
• Arts & crafts
• Live performances
• “We the People” Parade
• Evening laser show

Johnston County Celebrations

Smithfield

• Live music
• Car show
• Fireworks
• Food trucks
• Historical reenactments

Clayton

• Fireworks display

Archer Lodge (July 5)

• Family Fun Day
• Vendors
• Entertainment
• Fireworks

Kenly

• Community fireworks show

Selma

• All-American Festival
• Live music
• Vendors
• Fireworks

Chatham County

Celebrate at The Plant in Pittsboro with:

• Cookout
• Live music
• Yard games
• Sprinklers for kids
• Local food and beverages

Holly Springs

The holiday weekend concludes Sunday evening with:

• Live entertainment
• Food vendors
• Community celebration
• Fireworks

Rolesville

Enjoy an evening featuring:

• Live music
• Kids activities
• Food trucks
• Beer & wine garden
• Fireworks

Zebulon

Watch the Zebulon Devil Dogz before enjoying a fireworks show following the game.

Many surrounding communities throughout Wake County are also planning America250 celebrations throughout the holiday weekend. (ABC11 Raleigh-Durham⁠)

Tips for Attending Fourth of July Events

To make your celebration enjoyable:

• Arrive early for parking.
• Bring lawn chairs or blankets.
• Stay hydrated.
• Use designated shuttle services when available.
• Follow local bag policies.
• Plan for heavy traffic after fireworks.
• Consider using rideshare services for larger events.

Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary

The 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence marks a once-in-a-generation milestone. Across the Triangle, local governments, museums, parks, and community organizations are honoring this historic occasion with celebrations that combine history, entertainment, and community pride.

Whether you spend your day watching a parade in downtown Raleigh, enjoying baseball in Durham, listening to the symphony in Cary, or relaxing under the fireworks at Dorothea Dix Park, this year’s Fourth of July promises to be one of the most memorable celebrations in decades.

Stay with DoRaleigh.com for updated schedules, parking guides, road closures, family activities, and the latest Fourth of July events happening across Raleigh and the Triangle.

Advertise With Us: Interested in Advertising click here.

Connect With Us: Instagram | Facebook | BSky | Linkedin

Share With Us: Post your community News, Events, on our Submissions Page. 

Published by Bryan Tomlinson | BTDesigns.pro | DoRaleigh.com

Town of Cary Weekly Event Guide: July 29 – July 5, 2026

Looking for things to do in Cary this week? From professional tennis and live music to Independence Day celebrations, family activities, fishing, and soccer, there’s something for everyone in the Town of Cary.

Here’s your weekly event guide for June 29 through July 5, 2026.

🎾 Cary Tennis Classic

June 29 – July 5

One of Cary’s premier sporting events returns as top tennis talent competes throughout the week. Whether you’re a longtime tennis fan or simply looking for exciting summer entertainment, the Cary Tennis Classic offers great competition in a beautiful setting.

Wednesday, July 1

Canceled – Senior Advisory Board

12:00 p.m.

The regularly scheduled Senior Advisory Board meeting has been canceled.

Thursday, July 2

Cary Tennis Classic

Continue enjoying tournament play throughout the day.

Friday, July 3

Cary Town Band Presents

7:30 p.m.

Celebrate Independence Day weekend with a patriotic performance by the Cary Town Band. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy an evening of live music perfect for the whole family.

Saturday, July 4 – Independence Day

Independence Day Fishing Tournament

7:00 a.m.

Kick off your Fourth of July with a friendly fishing competition that’s fun for anglers of all ages.

Cary Presents: Independence Day Celebration

3:30 p.m.

Celebrate America’s birthday with one of the Triangle’s largest Independence Day festivals featuring family activities, entertainment, food vendors, and a spectacular fireworks celebration.

NC Courage vs. Seattle Reign

6:30 p.m.

Cheer on the NC Courage as they host Seattle Reign in an exciting National Women’s Soccer League matchup.

Sunday, July 5

Cary Tennis Classic

Wrap up the week by watching the tournament’s final matches and celebrating another successful Cary Tennis Classic.

Plan Your Week in Cary

Whether you’re looking for family-friendly activities, championship tennis, patriotic celebrations, live music, or professional soccer, Cary offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy the holiday week.

Stay connected with DoRaleigh.com for the latest Cary events, Triangle festivals, local government meetings, concerts, sporting events, and community happenings.

Advertise With Us: Interested in Advertising click here.

Connect With Us: Instagram | Facebook | BSky | Linkedin

Share With Us: Post your community News, Events, on our Submissions Page. 

Published by Bryan Tomlinson | BTDesigns.pro | DoRaleigh.com

Tonight, all of Israel stops.

Memorial Day Eve begins at sundown. A siren sounds at 8pm across the entire country - not a warning, not a drill. A steady, constant tone that means: we remember. Together.

Every Israeli knows someone whose name belongs to that silence.

#yomhazikaron #memorialday #israeliculture #independenceday

Monday, August 25, 2025

Putin is obstacle to peace, retired US General Petraeus says — Ukraine strikes long-range with own weapons without coordinating with US — US approves sale of ERAM missiles to Ukraine — Little progress made so far on Ukraine peace deal, German Chancellor says … and more

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2025/08/monday-august-25-2025/

Wishing all Indian's happy Independence Day.
Today is the day we pay respect to our beautiful nation. We’ve done so much to build our very own culture and heritage, so let's celebrate it today. May this Independence Day be special for you and your loved once.

#India #ProudtobeIndian #IndependenceDay #Indianflag #Indian #ACCESSYSTEM #indiansingulf #indiansingcc #indiansinuae #indiansinqatar #indiansinkuwait #indiansinsaudi #indiansinbahrain #indiansinoman #indiansindubai #indiansindoha

#15August #HappyIndependenceDay #RepublicOfIndia

As we #Celebrate our 76th #IndependenceDay today here is the symbol of our #Democracy the #Buddhist Dharam Chakra (Wheel of Law) which is the centre of the #IndianFlag

It has 24 spokes representing the 24 Rishis of #Himalayas. It also represents Time (24 hours of the day) to signify that #India is constantly changing & marching ahead.

This 2nd century #Budhism Dharam Chakra comes from Amaravati in #AndharaPradesh & was on a Christies sale.

Trump marks Independence Day by sharing vulgar attack on Biden and ominous 2024 warning

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-truth-social-biden-july-4-b2369209.html

#Independent #TrumpAttack #Biden #2024Warning #IndependenceDay #TruthSocial #Politics #News

@uspolitics Nothing good is ever coming from vote-phishing despotic conmen like DeSantis surfing the waves of widespread primitive prejudices & witless hate.

#HappyFourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay #Freedom #Equality #Community #StandWithHumanity #LGBTQ #UnitedInDiversity #StrongerTogether #BanTheGOP #PartyOfLies #BanHaters #DefraudingAmerica

Daily #Hashtags For July

Jul 01
#CanadaDay #InternationalChickenWingDay #InternationalJokeDay #JulyMorning

Jul 02
#WorldSportsJournalistsDay #WorldUFODay

Jul 03
#InternationalPlasticBagFreeDay

Jul 04
#IndependenceDay (US)

Jul 05
#InternationalBikiniDay

Jul 06-13
#NAIDOCWeek (Aus)

Jul 06
#InternationalKissingDay #WorldZoonosesDay

Jul 07
#GlobalForgivenessDay #StarFestival #WorldChocolateDay

Jul 08 •
Jul 09 •

Jul 10
#NikolaTeslaDay #TeddyBearPicnicDay

Jul 11
#WorldPopulationDay

Jul 12
#MalalaDay #PaperBagDay

Jul 13 •

Jul 14
#BastilleDay #CowAppreciationDay #SharkAwarenessDay #SocialMediaGivingDay

Jul 15
#WorldYouthSkillsDay

Jul 16
#WorldSnakeDay

Jul 17
#WorldDayForInternationalJustice #WorldEmojiDay

Jul 18
#NelsonMandelaDay #WorldListeningDay

Jul 19
#EidAlAdha

Jul 20
#InternationalChessDay #MoonDay #SpaceExplorationDay

Jul 21
#RacialHarmonyDay

Jul 22
#PiApproximationDay

Jul 23 •
Jul 24 •

Jul 25
#WorldEmbryologistsDay

Jul 26
#WorldTofuDay

Jul 27
#BagpipeAppreciationDay

Jul 28
#WorldHepatitisDay #WorldNatureConservationDay

Jul 29
#InternationalTigerDay

Jul 30
#InternationalDayOfFriendship

Jul 31
#HarryPottersBirthdayDay #WorldRangerDay

(See Index For More Hashtags)