4th of July: overrated jingoism

In the community where I live, the 4th of July is probably THE biggest holiday of the year. The whole town goes a little nuts, with a morning parade; an evening street dance; a little carnival area with motorized rides, hot dogs, and cotton candy; and, of course, a massive fireworks display. What's not to like? Well, leave it to The Introvert to explain why the 4th is by no means his favorite holiday:

• It's a boozefest. In this suburb, the main form of personal recreation on "Independence Day" is continuous consumption of alcohol, for teens and adults alike. That's disgusting.

• It's crowded and noisy. People fight for spots to watch the parade--they put down rows of folding chairs at 7 am to claim their spot. The park with the fireworks is prone to gridlock. And there are all these people to walk and drive around and through. And, sorry to say, after 30 or 40 years, fireworks do lose some of their charm. I've seen fireworks in so many places that I have a bit of a "been there, done that" mindset. I'm almost out of "oohs" and "ahhs."

• It's hot and buggy. You need to have both sunscreen and mosquito repellent. And various types of smoke waft through the air from dawn to midnight.

• The various picnics going on in the neighbors' back yards aren't bad in concept, but the food is normally not much to celebrate. We vegetarians don't eat a lot of brats, and store-bought coleslaw and potato salad have some pretty cloying flavors.

• Worst of all, it's jingoistic. The 4th of July is an excuse for a lot of drunken chest-pounding by people wearing red, white, and blue Old Navy tank tops. Somehow this is regarded as "patriotic." To me it is the shallowest form of patriotism, and not to be encouraged. Our national pride should be quieter and more sophisticated. The "rockets' red glare" is nothing to glorify; war is at best a necessary evil. And the worst irony of all: if you were to ask U.S. citizens what the 4th of July commemorates, a huge percentage wouldn't have a clue. (If you doubt that claim, check: http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1548908/pg1)

But hey, pass me a brewskie!