That’s the way it feels to me now. Back in 1976 it was different. Everyone was in the mood to party for our 200th celebration. 50 years later, it’s hard to find that same level of excitement for year 250. It’s hard to share the joy when we hear about the next vanity project from our wannabe dictator who is out to hijack America’s birthday and make it all about him. That’s already happened at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall. Substack’s Adam Kinzinger is checking it out.
“So let’s be clear. This was supposed to be a summer where we were celebrating two hundred and fifty years of America. Look back to what happened in nineteen seventy-six. It was a year of celebration. America Two Fifty was an organization that was put together by Congress. It was supposed to be bipartisan, and its goal was to put together these events. But this was taken over by Donald Trump and Freedom two fifty because Donald Trump wanted to make the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of America about him.
He wanted it to be a celebration of Donald Trump. Look at the passport he put out where it’s him. Look at all of this. Look at the opening speeches at this state fair where they said things like libtards, and then they wonder why all of a sudden people aren’t going. Look, people aren’t pointing out the lack of attendance because we’re dunking on America or because we’re not proud Americans. We’re pointing it out because it, like everything Donald Trump does, has died because of him, because he makes it about himself.
And when thirty percent of the country is all that approves of you, and you make this a celebration of you, nobody’s gonna turn out, and nobody’s turned out. A lot of states have even not-- decided not to participate. Again, let me remind folks, in an opening speech, they said libtards and then claimed this is a celebration of American unity. It’s failed. And it’s too bad because when I was born in nineteen seventy-eight and I started to come into consciousness, I saw the quarters from nineteen seventy-six.
I heard about the bicentennial, and I thought like, “Well, that sounds kinda cool. I’m gonna be old, forty-eight years old, when the two fifty comes around.” The two fifty’s come around, and it’s dead because Trump touched it. Everything Trump touches dies, and this is no different. I’m sorry if it makes you mad. You shouldn’t be mad at people pointing out the lack of attendance. You should be mad at Donald Trump for destroying what was supposed to be an extremely unifying event. When you say libtard in the opening, uh, I’m sorry, you’re not really a unifying event.“
There’s no unity to be found in a gilded ballroom, a Trump golf course in DC or the reflecting pool. Donald Trump is already blaming leftist vandals for wrecking the pool which was reflecting just fine before it was drained and painted. Now it’s full of algae and flaking paint. Reporter Scott McFarlane, tells Substack host Ken Harbaugh, the damage wasn’t caused by vandalism.
“As he’s saying that there were vandals who did this, and there’s absolutely no evidence whatsoever that any vandals had anything to do with this. Here’s how I know that. There are 24-hour cameras monitoring the reflecting pool. If there was a vandal who poured chemicals or destroyed the system, that video would already have been released by the Trump administration. I also know from my experience, 25 years in this town, there’s always police down there, park police, security. They’re monitoring the landmarks. They would have seen somebody, you know, poisoning the reflecting pool.
And the petty cases of vandalism that have been described are just that. They’re petty cases. Somebody touched the water by hand, which is at this point apparently criminal, even though people would dunk their whole bodies in that thing in years past or go walking through it like Jenny did in the movie Forrest Gump. I mean, there’s been a lot more incursions before than we’ve seen over the last few days, but they’re criminalizing those because of the scrutiny. This is a political mess in addition to being a literal mess. And Ken, there’s going to be an argument. In fact, there’s already an argument from the Trump administration that the media is fixated on this and not paying attention to real story.”
Then there’s the “Arc de Trump.” A nickname for a United States Triumphal Arch, a controversial 250-foot monument proposed by Donald Trump to celebrate him on the nation’s 250th anniversary. The proposed gilded structure would stand on Columbia Island near Arlington National Cemetery. This former Marine is having none of it.
“As a marine veteran, I don’t want a giant monument with a golden figure on top to honor any politician, especially not Trump, because monuments are supposed to honor principles, sacrifice, and service, not a single politician. But the proposed Arc de Trump is to be constructed right next to the Arlington National Cemetery. Why there, and why now, or why at all? Arlington is sacred ground. More than four hundred thousand service members, veterans, and their families are buried there.
It’s a place of reflection and remembrance and humility, something our commander-in-chief and his loyalists know nothing about. Now they want a massive two-hundred-and-fifty foot triumphal arch dominating the skyline, towering over the graves of those who actually gave everything, obstructing views and pulling attention away from the true heroes who defended this nation. The men and women who sacrificed themselves for our beloved country are already honored at Arlington. We don’t need to elevate one man above the country he was elected to serve.
So stop gaslighting us into thinking this is about celebrating our two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary or beautifying the area. Let me make this abundantly clear. Real patriotism remembers the fallen first. It doesn’t build ego trips on their doorstep. The country, the fallen heroes, veterans, and families all deserve better.“
This pattern of creating vanity projects by our dear leader is nothing new. Would be authoritarians and their propagandists have realized for years that reshaping memories are just as meaningful as dictating national policy. The huge vanity projects are a product of one man’s ego rather than our nation’s shared identity. So it goes with America’s 250th celebration. Donald Trump wants his name attached to it and is dead set on making sure that it happens. So far most people are not cooperating.
Music out:
“Don’t hand me a sparkler, don’t pour me that wine. This don’t feel like freedom on the Fourth of July. You can dress it in red, white, and blue all you want. But a house divided ain’t a thing you flaunt. Two hundred fifty years and we’re standin’ here. Trying to remember why we used to cheer. We’ll celebrate again when the truth can stand. But tonight, this don’t feel like our land.”
I’m Mike Turner
Thank you for listening.
