American Culture
Celebrating 238 Years of Independence
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of America’s independence, it was John Adam’s attempt to actually make July 2nd the day to celebrate America’s independence from Britain. That was the actual date in 1776 that the Second Constitutional Congress voted to declare its intentions. The Revolutionary War officially ended on July 4, 1783, and it wasn’t until 1938 that the Fourth was declared the actual federal holiday. Ironically John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe all died on the 4th of July, making the day even more memorable.
Another fact that most do not know is that the United States is not alone in celebrating the 4th. Because so many Europeans immigrated to the United States in the 1900s Denmark, Norway, Sweden and, interestingly, even England all celebrate the Fourth of July. The first barbecue grill also made its way to American backyards in the 1950s, thanks to Chicago native Don McGlaughlin. Most American’s will congregate around the grill this weekend and, of course, watching fireworks. Contrary to what some believe, Americans were not the first to invent the barbecue. Anthropologists say that mastering the fire during our primitive years is precisely what today draws man to grill outdoors over flame. Read the rest of this entry »
Ghetto-Fabulous is Nothing to Brag About
You’ve got a friend who goes to church, he’s got kids and a family but he’s a wee bit rough around the edges, and that edge is another side of him just waiting to come out. You’ve got a girlfriend who’s a little loud, maybe a little animated, but she’s your girl and is always there for you. She is all smiles and friendliness, but she, too, has an edge about her that you know is waiting to be unleashed. You’ve got a sibling that is a tad outspoken, a little East coast, brash but palatable. She, as you’ve witnessed, also has a side to her that is barely hidden behind her curtness. It’s a side of her that can easily be unleashed, as it doesn’t take much.
You see this in all the new reality shows popping up on various networks, banking off of folks from all ethnic origins, cultural backgrounds, heritage, nationalities, and upbringing with one thing in common— they are ghetto-fabulous. Now, ghetto folks just love to brag about their ghetto-ness like it’s their hidden weapon. To be considered ghetto, someone normally adheres to a culture that they are familiar with, and it’s not always gang related. Read the rest of this entry »
There’s More To Life Than Acquisition
This country was built on the American dream, where everyone is driven by the primary belief that if you could dream it, you could achieve it. And you never want to stop at where you are at. Our capitalistic society has taught us to look upon what others have and allow it to motivate us to want it, too. But, when did we allow things to consume us to the degree that nothing we acquire satisfies us?
Consider gambling. Some people get hooked on the rush, regardless if they win or lose. Once they get a taste, they keep chasing the high. They want it again and again, until either they’ve achieved it or they lost it all. Not to say that dreaming big means losing everything, but the insatiable bottomless pit of need can become a terrible addiction. Greed devours and always destroys. Nothing good can ever come from greediness, no matter how good the prize might look at the end. What greed creates, it destroys. When our monetary hunger is never satisfied, we are driven to achieve at all cost. Competitive people are full of greed, and most competitive individuals function best when they are outperforming everyone around them.
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Writing With Hope 