While the Defense Department scrambles to make Donald Trump’s ‘ego rally’ come to fruition, I want to make sure you all know that the REAL 4th of July celebration – A Capitol Fourth – is still happening across Washington D.C. tonight at 8/7c on PBS.
Live from the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol, the annual concert celebrating America’s birthday pays special tribute to American military heroes and their families. Among the performers this year are Colbie Caillat, Carole King, Keala Settle, and Vanessa Williams. Hosted by John Stamos, the show also features the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jack Everly, the Choral Arts Society of Washington, the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” and the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets. The finale includes fireworks and Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” complete with cannon fire.
The Washington Postreports the National Park Service is moving almost $2.5 million, earmarked for improvements to parks across the country, to be used in accommodating Donald Trump’s July 4 campaign rally “Salute to America” event in Washington, D.C.
The diverted park fees represent just a fraction of the extra costs the government faces as a result of the event, which will include displays of military hardware, flyovers by an array of jets including Air Force One, the deployment of tanks on the Mall and an extended pyrotechnics show.
By comparison, according to former Park Service deputy director Denis P. Galvin, the entire Fourth of July celebration on the Mall typically costs the agency about $2 million.
Bolding is mine.
Trump tweeted today that the cost of his ‘ego rally’ will be “very little.”
The Donald says we already own the planes, pay the pilots and the airport is so close, the only real cost is the jet fuel.
The cost of our great Salute to America tomorrow will be very little compared to what it is worth. We own the planes, we have the pilots, the airport is right next door (Andrews), all we need is the fuel. We own the tanks and all. Fireworks are donated by two of the greats. Nice!
Democratic lawmakers have objected to Trump’s ‘take-over’ of the annual Independence Day celebration saying he’s turning the event into a campaign rally.
The Republican National Committee has confirmed that it has received, and is handing out, VIP tickets to their donors and political appointees.
The Democratic National Committee has not received any tickets or passes of any kind.
According to the Post, Trump still owes the District of Columbia $7 million for his January 2017 inauguration.
• Don’t know who today’s hottie (above) is, but sure wish I did… #woof #DaddyDefined
• NewNowNext: A survey of Pride Month media coverage shows LGBTQ reports don’t even come close to making up at least the 4.5% that we do in the population.
• NY Daily News: City Council Speaker Corey Johnson announced $19M in new LGBT programs for his city.
• The Hill: The prediction model that accurately predicted Democratic gains in the House four months before the 2018 midterm elections says President Trump will lose Electoral College 278-197 in 2020.
• Gallup Polling: U.S. adults greatly overestimate the American gay population – most guess 23.6% of Americans are gay or lesbian when most reliable reports say 4.5% of Americans are LGBT.
• Donald Trump boasted about having “new Sherman tanks” for his upcoming commandeering of the July 4th celebration in Washington, D.C.
Happy birthday, America! You look good for 242-years-old.
I know, I know – there are definitely tensions across this land we love. And it can cause some wear and tear on us as Americans.
A new poll from Gallup shows patriotism in the U.S. has dropped to a new low in the 18 years the polling organization has been tracking the question “How proud are you to be an American?”
And another recent poll indicates 55% of Americans feel our president has “emboldened” racists.
But I’m going to throwback to a terrific PSA made by hunky John Cena celebrating America.
In this powerful message, via the Ad Council, Cena celebrates the birth of the United States and what makes us great.
Delivering a body slam to the bigots in America who look to dividing us as a way of expressing their pride, Cena points out that diversity is our core, is our strength.
Just a sample of Cena’s message in the video:
Patriotism. It inspires passionate debate, and it’s worn like a badge of honor for good reason: because it means love and devotion for ones country. Love.
But what really makes up this country of ours? What is it we love? It’s the people.
Almost half the country belongs to minority groups: People who are lesbian, African-American, and bi- and trans-gender, and Native American, and proud of it.
After all, what’s more American than freedom to celebrate the things that make us us?
This year, patriotism shouldn’t just be about pride of country. It should be about love — love beyond age, disability, sexuality, race, religion, and any other labels.
Because the second any of us judge people based on those labels, we’re not really being patriotic, are we?
Because love has no labels.
As Cena walks and talks, the video is timed so he passes all kinds of folks – gay, straight, older, younger. All the gorgeous shapes, colors, sizes and flavors that make this the United States.
This is what patriotism really means. It’s diversity, not division, that makes us strong.
So go out and get your American pride on today. Because, as the woofy Mr. Cena says, “Love has no labels.”
A few snaps from Instagram’s “Instahunks” celebrating the 4th of July 🙂 https://www.instagram.com/p/BWIPumYAfkP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/BWIUwHlDkGz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/BWIGSGOgYbe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/BWIoQXHhxzA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
President Trump celebrated Independence Day by treating his Twitter followers to a choral rendition of his own campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
The campaign tune was performed by the choir from the First Baptist Dallas Church, home of the far right wing, anti-LGBT Christian extremist, Dr. Robert Jeffress.
He then pushed for South Korea, Japan and China to do something about the incident.
Ironically, Trump wrote, “Does this guy have anything better to do with his life?” A question many Americans want to ask Trump himself considering his time spent tweeting.
North Korea has just launched another missile. Does this guy have anything better to do with his life? Hard to believe that South Korea…..
