On Friday, Clammyc offered us a smorgasbord of clammy goodness with his excellent diary, "This country has become an effing disgrace". In response, I attempted to bake up an addendum to his message "Don't Blame America: This country has NOT become an effing disgrace". My Diary essentially argued that the dismay associated with the US in recent years -- the hatred, the scorn, the frustration -- is more appropriately directed toward the scoundrels who have dismissed all that upon which this country was founded -- those who have pissed on the Constitution, f****d the founders, and sh*t on the people.

In essence, the hatred and disgust should be targeted squarely toward the neocon Bush Cabal, not the United States of America as it is meant to exist.

As support I went straight to the founding fathers, asserting that the neocon's agenda is so grossly anti-American, that they are left only with the option to destroy the principles upon which our country was founded in order to concoct a perceived sense of validity for their effed-up agenda:

More accurately, the powers that be have effing disgraced this country.

I totally agree with the message of this post over at DailyKos -- "This country has become an effing disgrace", but there is one thing that I'd like to make a tad more clear -- that this country Rocks!!!!

That's right! America ROCKS!!!

And the disgrace through wich we and the rest of the world are currently suffering are largely the result of a relatively miniscule power-band of effed-up neoconservatives who have wound their way to influence and power through decades of focused climbing -- politics, journalism, think tanks. The evidence is clear.

After the family gathering; after the picnic, after the fireworks, it is worth considering something. It is something about the way that the so called culture war, is partly a struggle over American history.  

On this Indpendence Day, the day we mark to celebrate the launch of the revolutionary new nation -- let us recall that leaders of the religious right use the Declaration to justify their ideology of Christian nationalism.  "Ugh," you may think to yourself. "I really don't want to think about that."  

But hey, chill.  I have good news.  I know we could think of this as part of a revolting parade of horrors that never seem to stop. But there is another way of looking at it:

The reason they are trying to hijack the Declaration -- is because they are desperate.  

I have always had strong political opinions. Throughout my life I have written letters and editorials, posted on blogs, passed out materials and worked on elections. In November of 2000 I went into shock. I didn't come out of it until Dean woke me up to `take back our country'. We all know what happened next.

Perhaps we have gotten the government that we deserve. There is no doubt that "Freedom isn't free." However it's not just some anonymous member of the military that needs to pay the price. It is you. And me. No exceptions and no exemptions.