A Year Ago Today 7/04/05

Last July 4th, I was waxing poetic on what it is to be an American. Rather than linking to the post, I'll just reproduce it below with a minor edit to change the year. Everything else remains the same because liberals have learned nothing over the last 365 days. I just watched "Yankee Doodle Dandy," the story of George M. Cohan, starring James Cagney. I got to thinking how lucky I am to be born in the wealthiest, most powerful, most generous, most noble country mankind has ever seen. The things we Americans have done for the world are truly miraculous. We have done more than any other country to change the world and all of mankind for the better. We not only invented the microchip, we invented the computer industry. We not only invented the airplane, we invented the aircraft industry. We not only invented the motion picture, we invented the movie industry. We invented the radio industry, the telecommunications industry, the recording industry. Countless millions are employed in those industries. And countless millions are free to practice their professions because we freed them from tyranny. We Americans crushed the Nazis, destroyed Japanese Imperialism and toppled Soviet Communism. We have sacrificed wealth and blood to free 50 million people from the brutal regimes of Afghanistan and Iraq. We are the most generous nation in the world, sending people, resources and money wherever in the world they are needed. And yet, on this 230th anniversary of the founding of our nation, there are those among us who hate this country. These small-minded, small-hearted, self-loathing people hate everything we stand for. They criticize everything this country does. They hate our president and commander-in-chief. They are physical and moral cowards who stand back and carp while others make this country great. But they are free to walk the streets. They are free to criticize and bloviate and undermine this country's policies to their heart's content -- unlike in other countries, where they would be imprisoned, tortured or executed. Happy birthday to all of us -- even to those who have no concept of what it is to be an American.