Thanks Dan for sharing the video of Kelly Clarkson wonderfully singing The Star Spangled Banner. at Obama's 2nd inauguration. It gave me goose bumps and certainly made me smile!
Thank you. We, the people, are a wonderful and beautiful rainbow of MANY people. tRump is trying to steal our pot of Gold. All our Blood, our sweat and our tears we have built our country with, he is tearing down and then charging US to rebuild in his image.
I’ve seen more compliments about America from foreigners than criticism. As a NY’er I’ve had dozens of friends and family visit here from out of state and they all say “It’s not what I thought it would be, everyone is so friendly.”
Travel is the great educator and should be required for every child raised in this Country. Ignorance is not Bliss, it’s deadly.
Despite all the negative commentary on the USA, football fans from around the world were welcomed to your country for World Cup celebrations, I am thinking especially of the warm welcome to our Scottish supporters, The Tartan Army, who were welcomed in Boston and Miami. It shows that ordinary people are not representative of those in power, and when peoples of the world come together, something wonderful happens. Congratulations America on your 250th anniversary, long may you continue to flourish
Might I add that love of country is not a zero-sum, “My country, right or wrong”, “Love it or leave it” proposition. Love of country, as it goes, is much like any good parent’s love of their offspring—unconditional. A true patriot wants what’s best for their country and what will advance its best interests, not merely their own interests, and promotes & protects the common good, that most savaged of items in the public domain.
Traitorous thugs and goons in neck gaiters pulled up over their noses, brosephus shades, and ball caps with some goofy insignia or inane catch phrase are absolutely not patriots.
No. Such like are frightened, quivering cowards currently enjoying their moment of usefulness to the aims of a twisted (likely) pedo First Felon, our esteemed Dear Leader, the “Orange Menace”, Commandeerer & Cheat, Donald J. (the”J.” Is for “Jagoff”, or possibly “Jackaninny”—the book’s out on that count).
I digress. A thousand pardons.
The Idiocracy cult fanning the flames of fear and hatred will fall, as surely it must, from the top-heaviness of the corruption and grift of Donnie The Dunce. He is well into “executive overreach” territory, à la Mad King George of England in the mid-1770s.
The comeuppance is forthcoming. The crude and graceless affront to all the best of what America has aspired to, if not always (or even often) realized, will not long stand. It already exhibits stress fractures that presage the crumbling of its edifice to reveal the rotten core of a peck of bad apples mouldering in a hand basket bound for a very real hell-on-earth and “world of pain” ( to steal a line from John Goodman’s Walter Sobchak in the Coen Brothers’ classic “The Big Lebowski”.
Now there’s a future “Reason to Smile” for all your gentle readers, Mr. Rather.
FYI, the Declaration of Independence wasn't actually signed by everyone until August 2nd. July 4th was when everyone agreed on the exact wording and text.
Thank you, Dan, for sharing this. How can it be that we have allowed our country to fall so low in its social/political climate, and to become a laughing stock in the estimation of other nations, in so short a time? I remember seeing Kate Smith sing Irving Berlin's God Bless America for the first time ever on television. I think 2026 might be a good year to reintroduce that sentiment into our American conversation.
Thanks Dan for sharing the video of Kelly Clarkson wonderfully singing The Star Spangled Banner. at Obama's 2nd inauguration. It gave me goose bumps and certainly made me smile!
That was a wonderful day for our country!!
That was so beautiful. And reminds me of the hope, joy and pride we once had as Americans. 😞 We must reclaim it. 🇺🇸
Thank you for you long service to America Mr Rather
What I wouldn’t give to have this man back in office!! Just look at the people! THAT is what American pride looks like! 🇺🇸❤️🤍💙
It makes me so sad and angry at what Congress has allowed the vile deviant to do to our country AND our alliances!
Thank you for a beautiful reminder of why we must truly fight to save this country and our Constitution!
America it’s not a country
Thank you. We, the people, are a wonderful and beautiful rainbow of MANY people. tRump is trying to steal our pot of Gold. All our Blood, our sweat and our tears we have built our country with, he is tearing down and then charging US to rebuild in his image.
YOU’RE FIRED
I’ve seen more compliments about America from foreigners than criticism. As a NY’er I’ve had dozens of friends and family visit here from out of state and they all say “It’s not what I thought it would be, everyone is so friendly.”
Travel is the great educator and should be required for every child raised in this Country. Ignorance is not Bliss, it’s deadly.
Despite all the negative commentary on the USA, football fans from around the world were welcomed to your country for World Cup celebrations, I am thinking especially of the warm welcome to our Scottish supporters, The Tartan Army, who were welcomed in Boston and Miami. It shows that ordinary people are not representative of those in power, and when peoples of the world come together, something wonderful happens. Congratulations America on your 250th anniversary, long may you continue to flourish
That was worth watching just to see Obama, and to remember when it looked like our country was moving toward justice.
❤️
Remember the pledge of Liberty and justice for ALL.
The songs, the speeches, the history belong to us all.
Well-observed and well-stated, good sir knight.
Might I add that love of country is not a zero-sum, “My country, right or wrong”, “Love it or leave it” proposition. Love of country, as it goes, is much like any good parent’s love of their offspring—unconditional. A true patriot wants what’s best for their country and what will advance its best interests, not merely their own interests, and promotes & protects the common good, that most savaged of items in the public domain.
Traitorous thugs and goons in neck gaiters pulled up over their noses, brosephus shades, and ball caps with some goofy insignia or inane catch phrase are absolutely not patriots.
No. Such like are frightened, quivering cowards currently enjoying their moment of usefulness to the aims of a twisted (likely) pedo First Felon, our esteemed Dear Leader, the “Orange Menace”, Commandeerer & Cheat, Donald J. (the”J.” Is for “Jagoff”, or possibly “Jackaninny”—the book’s out on that count).
I digress. A thousand pardons.
The Idiocracy cult fanning the flames of fear and hatred will fall, as surely it must, from the top-heaviness of the corruption and grift of Donnie The Dunce. He is well into “executive overreach” territory, à la Mad King George of England in the mid-1770s.
The comeuppance is forthcoming. The crude and graceless affront to all the best of what America has aspired to, if not always (or even often) realized, will not long stand. It already exhibits stress fractures that presage the crumbling of its edifice to reveal the rotten core of a peck of bad apples mouldering in a hand basket bound for a very real hell-on-earth and “world of pain” ( to steal a line from John Goodman’s Walter Sobchak in the Coen Brothers’ classic “The Big Lebowski”.
Now there’s a future “Reason to Smile” for all your gentle readers, Mr. Rather.
Go easy. Peace.
FYI, the Declaration of Independence wasn't actually signed by everyone until August 2nd. July 4th was when everyone agreed on the exact wording and text.
Thank you, Dan, for sharing this. How can it be that we have allowed our country to fall so low in its social/political climate, and to become a laughing stock in the estimation of other nations, in so short a time? I remember seeing Kate Smith sing Irving Berlin's God Bless America for the first time ever on television. I think 2026 might be a good year to reintroduce that sentiment into our American conversation.
Wow! What a voice! Oh I miss those days.