Colin Kaepernick, Betsy Ross and the 4th of July

The 4th of July is the day to celebrate the creation of the United States of America. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are the documents that gave rise to the greatness of America and the American people. America quickly became a global beacon to immigrants. The American Flag is the symbol of America. We are not one race, one religion, one ethnicity. Together we are Americans. The Declaration of Independence is a revolutionary document in the Revolutionary War and world history. Revolutions have frequently occurred throughout history, but the Declaration of Independence reduced the reasons to a written manifesto based on a revolutionary concept: the freedom of the individual. A people rebelling against the Crown put their grievances in writing. The participants then signed it, pledging their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the cause. The signers would have been hanged had the cause of Independence been lost. The drafters of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were students of the Enlightenment. America was built on the Mosiac Code, the Judeo-Christian heritage, and the rights and history of the English for the drafters were either immigrants or the sons of English, Scot or Irish immigrants. The legacy of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution opened America to all races, religions and ethnicities from throughout the world. The Bill of Rights, Amendments 1-10 of the Constitution protected the rights of the people against the government, again a novel concept for the times. Article V of the Constitution, the Amendment Clause, allowed the expansion of the rights to all: the slaves, Native Americans and women. Flawed in the beginning, the Constitution over time protected all. That is the greatness of America Colin Kaepernick, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, et al, are representatives of darkness, of abject ignorance. Even a few of the Democrats, Beto and Julian Castro, seeking the Presidency have joined the Kaepernick chorus. Their presidential prospects are slim to none. Kaepernick made his fame by refusing to stand for the pre-game National Anthem, claiming it was a protest over police brutality. Now he’s striking out against Betsy Ross saying her Flag was offensive because it represented a period of oppression and slavery - a novel thought previously unknown to history, uttered by a worn-out football player. The Flag represented the birth of the United States. It represented the 13 original colonies. His beef is not with the National Anthem, Betsy Ross or the American Flag. It’s with America itself. Nike pulled its Betsy Ross sneaker timed for Independence Day. It caved to a washed up quarterback. It explained the decision because it did not want to “offend and detract from the nation’s patriotic holiday.” Even a cursory study of Betsy Ross would show that she was a Quaker opposed to slavery. She was also an independent working woman ahead of her time. The nation’s founders risked their lives so that ignoramuses such as a washed out quarterback and members of Congress can utter ignorant statements. The Constitution begins “We the People ….” “We the people” – what an incredible, revolutionary statement. “We the people” – not “We the subjects of the King, Emperor, Sultan, Shah, Tsar, Emir.” “We the people,” who will govern ourselves. That’s the Constitution, a scion of the Declaration of Independence. We take the freedoms for granted today. Sadly, we don’t study them much in school anymore with many educators teaching what’s wrong with America. They have the freedom to spout drivel. That is the greatness of America. The athletes and stars earning millions from the American public have the freedom to show their disdain for Americans. That is the greatness of America. Nike has the freedom to unmarket their Betsy Ross sneaker. The American people have the right to not buy Nike products. The Swoosh may swoosh. Nike has the right to pay coolie wages to third world workers to sell overpriced sneakers in the United States. Nike claims to be proud of its American Heritage, which includes shipping jobs overseas. That is the greatness of the United States. Colin Kaepernick has the right to say what he says. AOC has the right to daily display her ignorance. It’s OK to be an ignoramus in the United States. That is the greatness of the Declaration of Independence. We celebrate the 4th with fireworks, parades and BBQ’s Colin Kaepernick and Nike set off fireworks for the 4th.