I can remember a time when we took the kids camping or out to do some outdoor activity during Independence Day Weekend. In the beginning, it was a great release, a respite from our madness to just soak up the outdoors and celebrate our independence, well, independently. Things began to change, however. More and more people came out to the lakes, an increasing number of partiers began to litter the state parks. I can recall one time when I almost got into a physical altercation with some mouth-breathing, Natural Lite-drinking, wife beater shirt-wearing, troglodyte who was certain that everyone in the state park wanted to hear his obnoxiously loud rap music from his boat's sound system. I asked him nicely to turn it down just a bit to which he responded with some slurred gibberish followed by him spitting on the ground dangerously close to me.
He turned down the volume.
That was really the end of it though. It had become too much of a hassle dealing with all the drunk buffoons and their angry little offspring during the holiday weekends. Camping was fine, but not during the holidays. Law enforcement has their hands full on the holidays at the lakes, and I don't envy them one damned bit.
There are, of course, the city-sponsored shindigs wherein you pay for parking, you fight the hipsters and the soccer moms to get comfortable, and of course, it's mandatory that you hear all about their friend who just had breast implants and Botox, and how they too are considering the procedures. God, help us.
Now, Independence Day has become more contemplative for me. My band,
Signal 8, is playing a private gig this weekend and that will be fun. But it is an intimate affair and already I'm anxious about the traffic that will no doubt end up being problematic. Even with all of the idiots out there, I love Independence Day. It is when we celebrate our break from tyranny, and the birth of something completely different.
I suppose that freedom means that the goofballs mentioned previously have a right to be goofballs. It's part of this experiment in self-government we find ourselves creating. They probably shouldn't get on my nerves as they do, and it's something I need to work through - I'll get to that AFTER the holiday weekend.
From me to you, have a safe and sane Independence Day. Party your all-American asses off, but do NOT drink and drive.
Gorilla
