this post was submitted on 02 Jul 2025
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I was talking to one of my friends and he mentioned staying home on July 4, citing how there are a lot of really ugly things going on in the US.

After thinking about this myself, I'm starting to feel the same way. Instead of being proud of the country, I'm feeling like I'm just another wallet that companies and the government are trying to suck all the money out of.

The cost of living is going up, the housing market is a nightmare, I don't feel very confident in our government at all, the job market is a nightmare...

I think I'll be staying home this year too... anyone else?

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[–] Machinist@lemmy.world 4 points 1 hour ago

I'm celebrating Happy Fireworks Day!

I've got new neighbors that are probably about to hear, "Fire in the hole!" unironically for the first time. You can actually see the shockwave from my blackpowder signal cannon. Good chance the cops show up.

I usually use the cannon to vaporize 10oz of kerosene for a nice mushroom cloud of fire, but I'll have to see how it goes.

I'm a pyro.

Y'all wear safety glasses if having bottle rocket fights or roman candle duels.

[–] TheLastOfHisName@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 47 minutes ago

"Come all ye young rebels And list while I sing For the love of one's country Tis a terrible thing It banishes fear with the Speed of a flame And makes us all part of The patriot's game...."

[–] vxx@lemmy.world 6 points 2 hours ago

Because of Patriotism they had it so easy to turn it into Nationalism and now turn it to fascism.

[–] walktheplank@lemmy.world 5 points 2 hours ago

Best day to begin taking your country back. Too bad the couch is so comfy.

[–] EvilCartyen@feddit.dk 6 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

I imagine almost everyone who's not American, like 95.5% of the world population.

[–] Zezzoz@lemmy.world 11 points 7 hours ago

Feeling patriotic towards a country of traitors.

US best values have been lost long time ago.

[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 36 points 14 hours ago

why celebrate independence day?

it was supposed to be about gaining independence from tyranny.

We're back with kings and tyrants.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 21 points 16 hours ago

Our country is under MAGA Nazis rule, and that is nothing to celebrate. Independence Day should be a Day of Resistance, until the MAGA Nazis lose their control.

[–] thatradomguy@lemmy.world 9 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

Why feel patriotic for a country that literally stole/claimed what wasn't theirs to being with? Never felt such a thing for this so called "first world".

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[–] DarthKaren@lemmy.world 36 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

I'm a USAF vet. My ancestors literally fought in the revolutionary war, and signed The Declaration of Independence. I'm going through the motions this year, but I don't feel it at all. I'm pissed that we're multiple stages into a nazi regime. I'm profoundly flabbergasted at how anyone could be for this. How anyone that is for it, can't see that they're going to be the "out" party. Some already are seeing it.

I'm incredibly disappointed that the news has gotten so out of touch that they just rolled over and lapped up the rhetoric. Local news is all sunshine and rainbows while ICE kidnaps people, and a corrupt POtuS breaks the constitution left and right. While he deploys military against its own citizens. While rights are stripped, aided by a corrupt SCOTUS. While the rich get richer off of our backs. While the checks and balances are obliterated.

[–] ProfThadBach@lemmy.world 10 points 18 hours ago

I was an Army officer and I my people have been here since the mid 1700s. I have service in my family going all the way back to the beginning of this country. I am a member of both the VFW and the American Legion and I have been depressed since November. I really hoped America was better than this. I was wrong. I do not know what I will do for the 4th but it will not be celebrating.

[–] jwmgregory@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (2 children)

stop “going through the motions,” then? do something?? anything!????

idk tbh anytime i see someone act as surprised as you are at this point it’s someone who believed, strongly, in the noble lies fed to us. i don’t mean to judge you pointedly, but knowing you’re an air force vet… doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the counterpoint to that opinion.

i came from a family with a lot of military brats so im confident in saying 99% of people who enlist are either doing so out of economic desperation (aka coercion) or they’re dumb enough to believe the shit the recruiters/propoganda/government spew. if i offend… that’s fine. i have respect for the trauma, both physical and mental, that vets have gone through but i think you guys aren’t just cogs in a machine and are morally culpable for what you’re involved in doing. i respect the people on an individual basis, but spit on the org as a whole.

anyway idk not to babble on and on but point being maybe the euros are right when they say none of us have the balls to do what needs to be done. people won’t even say what needs to be said because they fear losing their jobs and careers due to corporate, dystopic surveillance of their every word. it’s the most milquetoast acceptance of literal fascism in history and your comment and the behavior you espouse is exactly why they’re able to do it.

don’t get me wrong, i’m not casting stones. i am not without sin either. i’m sitting here shitposting on the internet instead of marching. i’m also part of the problem; but it’s time we start calling it out instead of getting offended at the notion we are just letting it happen.

people won’t even say what needs to be said because they fear losing their jobs and careers due to corporate, dystopic surveillance of their every word.

in this spirit i’ll be the first to say. fuck ice. i won’t self-police myself for thought crime anymore. the first chance i get to kill an ice agent im taking, and every true fucking patriot should feel the same. it’s time to water the tree of liberty, man.

[–] DarthKaren@lemmy.world 5 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

I see where you're at. I take no offense. I definitely could be doing more. I can't work either, so it isn't like I don't have the time. Physical issues are my only real hold back. My enlistment was fear of being trapped in an abusive home, as well as feeling like high school didn't offer enough of an education to prepare me. We both have the luxury of doing what we're doing.

However, I offer a few counter points.

What does killing 1 ICE "officer" accomplish? How does that affect change in the right direction? Does this cause others to do the same and follow suit?

We need more that I don't think we're at the point of accomplishing yet. We need a full on civil war. One that I'm not sure how we get to kick off, all at the same time, all across the nation, without it fizzling out quickly.

The problem then comes in how to coordinate that. How do we communicate, nation wide, in a way that is not vulnerable to monitoring and disruption by the very place we're trying to change? How do we coordinate arming and supplies? How do we coordinate movements and operations?

We can't stop at just POtuS either. 99% of it needs to go. Dem leadership has been largely sitting on the bloody nubs that they try to "reach across the aisle" with. SCOTUS and most all other courts are compromised. Plus the billionaires, the behind the scenes assholes, and even state and local governments. It all needs a clean sweep.

We have too comfortable of a life. We're too complacent. We were too far removed from the fascism that spilled over in Europe. We were too padded. It didn't really hit us, in either world war, back here. Our troops came back home and went back to regular life as usual. We had a civil war, but we didn't punish any of the perpetrators. That led us right back where we're at. At the time though, you could survive on your own. Support a family off of the land. There wasn't much of an infrastructure. There was no pain to be felt by the general populace (loss of life aside).

I do think we'll get to full on armed conflict. I feel as though mid terms will be the kicker. I just don't know if armed conflict is where we're at yet. Not that I don't think we should be. It's that the general populace is too comfortable. We, apparently, need our lives to hurt more. To be affected more. Is it sad? Absolutely. Is it very much against everything that the founding fathers envisioned, especially when drafting up the 2nd? Absolutely. They would be completely disgusted with all of us. Myself included.

[–] barryamelton@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 30 minutes ago)

The fix is not killing ICE officers.

The civil rights movements of the 60s, Jim Crow, etc, won by being willing to be beaten. By voluntarily entering a cafe and sitting there waiting to be served like a human being, meanwhile being willing to be called names, dropped food and drinks onto them, burnt with cigarettes, abused.

That willingness and perseverance in wanting to be recognised as the human beings they are awoke the rest of the population.

Pacifist demonstrations and matches are a way to achieve that. They are displays for your fellow colleagues, not for the government you want to depose. Make clear that they are pacifist. Prepare and inform the people going. Sit down if you are charged. Stop violent people there. Etc. Make obvious that the fascist are fascists that way and say and invigorate people to your side.

[–] bufalo1973@europe.pub 4 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

The first act that started the Tunisian "Arab Spring" was just one street seller being killed by the police.

There is no "correct" spark. And nobody knows what will spark a war until it has happened.

Maybe some guy that gets shot by ICE, maybe some guy that kills an ICE thug, maybe something else.

[–] jwmgregory@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

I agree with most everything you said here, it's a good analysis. Sorry for being a bit of a reactionary this morning. Not sure why I was on such a shit-slinging vibe earlier but I'm willing to own up to it.

What does killing 1 ICE “officer” accomplish? How does that affect change in the right direction? Does this cause others to do the same and follow suit?

We need more that I don’t think we’re at the point of accomplishing yet. We need a full on civil war. One that I’m not sure how we get to kick off, all at the same time, all across the nation, without it fizzling out quickly.

I would see a civil war, or something like it, as the first "real," and rational opportunity for an individual to kill an ICE agent. In my mind, doing so as a sort of lonewolf is so absurdly stupid as to not be considerably but I understand that's probably not a reasonable take these days anymore when it comes to discourse in the commons. Therein is the sociopolitical paradox you mentioned about what actually sparks the powderkeg. In short, I think we're saying about the same thing in principle, I'm just an edgelord before noon I guess lmao.

Thanks for taking the time to respond, I always appreciate discourse. Meet all sorts of cool people on lemmy. Hope life has more in store for you, for all of us. Good luck!

[–] DarthKaren@lemmy.world 5 points 13 hours ago

Absolutely no shade my friend. I am absolutely as pissed off as you are. I really wish it would make a difference. Many of us do. It just isn't quite there yet. The stew is close, we just need the vegetables to get ready.

I love the discourse as well. We don't get a feel for everyone's feelings towards things when we don't. Others may even bring up things we hadn't thought about, or an angle we didn't see.

Good luck to you as well!

[–] banshee@lemmy.world 3 points 18 hours ago

I find the bit about believing the lies we're fed as somewhat naive. We're all on a journey, and everyone starts in a different place, with unique foundations.

My current opinions vary wildly from those held 20 years ago. Change is a good thing, and I think it should be expected as the norm.

[–] Dogiedog64@lemmy.world 42 points 22 hours ago (5 children)

I've said it before and I'll say it again, but HOW THE FUCK could I EVER be proud of this country anymore??? We've done nothing to deserve respect or patriotism.

[–] bufalo1973@europe.pub 3 points 3 hours ago

Then maybe it's a day to protest, not to celebrate. Maybe the best way could have been doing a full strike that stopped the country and doing also protests in the streets.

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[–] paperazzi@lemmy.world 9 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Canadian here and we celebrated the fuck out of our national holiday which just passed. We have a stronger feeling of solidarity than we've felt in a long time. Despite the threats of annexation and shifting tariffs, we are feeling more hopeful than we have in many years, possibly because we're making new friends in the global sandbox and coming into our own power now instead of constantly kowtowing to the USA in all matters.

Except a few folks in Alberta who would love to be part of the modern Nazi regime. Fuck them, tho.

[–] AstralPath@lemmy.ca 6 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

Personally, I'm not feeling that same vibe. I think the solidarity against the US is a very good thing, but the sheer amount of ways Canada is just "America Light" is very depressing. Its to the point that our flag has been so sullied by absolutely shit tier movements in the last 5 years that I can't stand to see it anymore.

Every time I see a private flag pole, bumper stickers or anything kind of patriotic merch my knee jerk reaction is "I bet this dude's a fuckwad." I know that I'm painting with a huge and shitty brush but I just can't even fight against it anymore. I know it's wrong. I just don't care, and that makes me sad.

I live comfortably here, but given even a minutely convenient reason to emigrate I think I'd take it.

Canada is a car infested, anti-human shit hole just like America. To paraphrase Steve Harris of Iron Maiden a bit "We oil the jaws of the ~~war~~ capitalist machine and feed it with our ~~babies~~ immigrants."

[–] paperazzi@lemmy.world 3 points 15 hours ago

I've felt like that for years, too. But Canadians boycotting en masses, then soundly rejecting mini-Trump has given me hope. Since then, our leader has been reaching out to other countries to form new relationships and deals. We just signed a rare earth minerals deal with Greenland, of all places.

Yes, Canada has been hamstrung by US demands but the vice-grip they've had over us has deteriorated. This wouldn't have happened if not every single other country in the world was going through the same thing. So it feels a bit like a rebirth to me, with the possibility of finally being able to come into our own as a nation.

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 7 points 17 hours ago

Sounds like a great day for a false flag attack to solidify the masses against a perceived threat.

[–] daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (4 children)

Not American. But I don't even know when my country's national day is. I know there's one because they always do a military parade with the king and always something goes wrong, and we laugh about it. But I can even tell what day it is until I see it on the news.

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[–] Hossenfeffer@feddit.uk 11 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Being a Brit, for years I've jokingly referred to the 4th of July as 'Rebellion Day' to my USian friends. Not sure I'm joking any more, just hopeful. Go on. Rebel!

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[–] veniasilente@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 18 hours ago

I'm feeling patriotic enough to burn US flags and I'm not even from the US!

[–] MeaanBeaan@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Honestly nationalism for the US has always been kinda gross to me. We've never really had much to be proud of as a nation historically.

[–] OccamsRazer@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

Well in that case there probably isn't a single nation ever that should be proud.

[–] Allero@lemmy.today 31 points 1 day ago (12 children)

State-level patriotism is always bullshit to begin with.

That's how you're tricked into loyalty based on the most arbitrary reasons.

Be the messenger of humanity and get curious about the Universe. People are brothers, and there's no pride in being born in one plot of land over the other.

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[–] imachillin@lemmy.world 5 points 20 hours ago

Yep. Staying home, donating, or protesting if something’s going on. It’s just a long weekend to me now. No flag flying at this home for sure… unless it’s a No Kings flag.

[–] Furbag@lemmy.world 7 points 22 hours ago

There's nothing left to be proud of. Just vague platitudes about freedom and performative military worship that have been socially beaten into people since 2001. I have no faith remaining in my fellow countrymen. I am unable to clearly see a future for myself living here as I am now. What is left to be patriotic about?

All the true patriots are dead. They were buried long ago. Modern patriotism is a marketing gimmick. I refuse to be a party to it.

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