God Bless America!

As you already know, I'm British by birth. I spent a few years in the English school system, so I've been made aware of an alternative history to that doled out in American K-12 classrooms. I don't know that it's any closer to the truth, but it provides a counterpoint to the notion that maybe the US of A was set, jewel-like into the golden filigree of the Western Hemisphere by the sweat of brave explorers, doughty freedom fighters, Jesus, Washington, Lincoln, and Santa Clause.

I heard something more like, a bunch of godawful puritans got tossed out of England for being such a fucking bore all the time, landed on Plymouth rock, died, tried again later, finally got it right, swapped the natives smallpox for land, set up a nation that despite being free for all men, kept slavery around for a hundred years or so longer than any other country, and then defended it against the English using wits, cunning, and bravery, or at least such as could be purchased from mercenaries or tricked out of the Indians, who outnumbered Americans something like 4-to-1 in the US army of the time.

Here I am thinking fondly of the founding fathers, and hoping one will come along and unchain me from my desk.

Either way, I think the constitution is pretty damn cool and I like fireworks.

What I really love about the 4th of July though, is that it represents the first day off I'm getting in a long stinking time. God bless paid holiday!