AWKWARD ZOMBIE

And somewhere in between that there was the war of 1812
And Canada burned down the white house

Colonial america was getting taxed to shit, we had no say in it. "No taxation without representation", so the colonies rebelled. Won the Revolutionary War, we celebrate that today.

i was born in minnesota
but then i moved to canada
a true patriot

Anybody have cookouts or anything? We used to have a really nice gas grill at the house, but had to sell it (I guess we might have put it in storage maybe?) when we moved. We'll still probably invite my relatives over and make something though!

Also, no, 40 is quite high. Last I checked we were closer to 20-22. It's true that we're in debt, and our nation is struggling with itself right now, but it's also true that I can get almost any vegetable I want, any time I want. For that matter, I can get almost any food I feel like at any time, from most stores, and find it situated well within my paygrade at least as a semi-regular treat if not a daily food. I don't have to worry that my cleaning or drinking water will kill me, and the inside of my home can be whatever temperature I want. Even if it isn't actually enough to live on alone, my employer MUST pay me a wage; they can't threaten me out of my cheddar, garnish my check with no explanation or hold me hostage for more work without breaking the law. They also can't force me to work in inhumane conditions that might kill or injure me, completely unrelated to the nature of my work. I know the vast majority of my taxes are paying to provide other Americans with not only an education, but a community of peers they can learn and grow with, and the opportunity to join extracurriculars and a safe environment with good role models. They're paying to give me safe roads to drive on, an ambulance system that cannot leave me to die simply because I cannot pay them right away, police who work to honor and uphold my rights and do their best to keep everyone safe, and many other things children learn to take for granted. My taxes help pay the teachers who had such an impact on my life, great and terrible; they pay all of the public servants I rely on and give my respect to. My clothing doesn't have gaps in it and it doesn't hurt or irritate my skin, and it would be surprising in America if I didn't have access to the biggest collection of knowledge and human interaction ever to exist. Even if I didn't have a computer and home internet, at any time I like I could go to my city's awesome public library and use not only their computers, but have access to a calm environment indoors and as much reading as I like, with or without a library card (which are free anyway.) My community is very small, and our district is the sixth poorest in the state, but I still have a huge number of things every day to be pop flyin' about.

I like to use days like today especially to reflect on how lucky I am and the fact that, through no fault of their own, the citizens of other countries may not be able to enjoy the things I take for granted. More, they may not be safe expressing even mildly differing opinions. They may not even be safe merely because they happen to look different from others around them. Even in other parts of America people may not be able to enjoy all the things I listed above. I'm breathtakingly lucky.

Although I find other countries to be fully worthy of my respect and enjoy learning about their cultures and modes of living, for all its flaws, I love America. People say that if you don't like America the way it is, all of the time, that you should just get out. But that's wrong. The real beauty of America is that if I disagree, that's okay. I have the right and the ability to say so, and to seek changes to policies I don't find fair to myself or others. It's not just an option, it's what America is all about. With enough struggling, anybody can find some common ground and something to agree on, and I love that.

ALSO yes. A big part of what was happening was that the colonies were not allowed to have any representatives; although their environment, needs, situation and culture were hugely different from Britain's, the monarchy had decided that they could not and would not have any form of representation in the House of Commons to present their needs on the basis that "colonists are a type of british citizen and the people already present in the House of Commons represent those already." Due to a rapid series of changes in the post of Prime Minister in Britain enormous levies were placed on household goods, and many colonists could neither pay them nor seek change in the policies. Events escalated, and eventually other, more aggravating acts were passed, including one that mandated that colonial citizens allow soldiers to be stationed in their homes and that no matter how they behaved they had to cater to and provide for them or face the consequences. Britain was a heavy-handed parent, the sort who only answered questions with a gruff, "Because I said so you ungrateful little shit. You don't get a say. You owe me. I made you!"

In my view, it's not just a celebration of the day we gained independence from England, but also a reminder that as a colony we defeated what was then the strongest empire in the world.

one day i want to visit the colonies

Well give you a complimemtary dump of your tea in the ocean.

Best euphemism ever.

Be forewarned, calling American women Licorice Bitch will get you stomped on.

In some cases, that's exactly what you want.

Hey, pop flyin' birthday, America! I guess? When is England's birthday? Would the Jubilee count? IDK.

Anyway:





^ I like this picture more~

I can't sing as well as Master Splinter.

I ate an American cheeseburger today, with Freedom Fries and an American Coke.

In America!

it's like I'm instinctively inclined to want to hate this video

but

'murrica