July 4 is the commemoration of the victory of the colonial periphery over the imperial center, not in an effort to reform or reinvent the empire, but to leave it, and start a new one.
In these contentious times, when Americans are at loggerheads over control of government and culture, it might be helpful to remember that sometimes—not always— independence is the answer.
Independence means freeing yourself from the clutches of decadent institutions. It means getting a chance to put your heads together to establish new ones, and mustering all your courage and creativity to forge new destinies on our own terms. Oh, and in the spirit of freedom, it also means letting others do the same.
On this Fourth of July, I wish for all my compatriots a renewed belief in independence, in breaking away, in starting anew.
Today, I will lift a hot dog in all our honor and recall the quintessentially American wisdom of Samuel Goldwyn when he said, “Gentlemen, include me out.”
Happy Fourth.
