WhatFinger


An American Independence Day like no other



Michelle Malkin, Melanie MorganIn a beautifully written piece he wrote about Stephen Collins Foster, which will be posted on Canada Free Press’s cover this July 4, Calvin Johnson has me thinking of July 4, 2009. A member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a historical-fraternal group who study and help preserve Southern history, Mr. Johnson chronicles what he calls “the much too short lifetime” of Stephen Collins Foster, “The Father of American Music”. Both Foster and George M. Cohan, writer of Yankee Doodle Dandy were born on the 4th of July—Independence Day. As Johnson wrote, “These men are, now, legends and their songs are a favorite throughout the USA and the world.

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“Weep no more my lady, Oh! Weep no more today! We will sing one song for my Old Kentucky home far away…They don’t write songs like that any more,” Mr. Johnson writes. These would be nostalgic words to contemplate on any July 4th celebration, but perhaps even more so on this one. The marching bands, the sea of Stars and Stripes, the joy of children who pick up the excitement of Independence Day at home and school resonate each year far beyond America’s borders to free people everywhere. Independence Day is not just marked in Small Town, America, it the hope of little people in many lands because it is the day of the American patriot, an icon of liberty and democracy to be held up with pride. This year’s prelude to Independence Day includes what Michelle Malkin describes as “an awesome event I told you about over Memorial Dave weekend. `From the Frontlines’ is a joint project of Melanie Morgan’s Move America Forward, UStream TV, and Hot Air on June 26, from 4 p.m. Eastern/1 p.m. Pacific to 12 midnight Eastern/9 p.m. Pacific, Melanie and I will be anchoring a livestreamed, 8-hour fund-raising “web-a-thon” to send the largest number of care packages to our troops overseas in U.S. history. “We’ve got a star-studded line-up participating in this effort to support our military, including Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Ollie North, Monica Crowley, Ann Coulter, Nancy Reagan, actor Kelsley Grammer, and Five for Fighting’s John Ondrasik. “You’ll be able to tune it at Hot Air and on UStream, embed the broadcast on your own blogs, and even catch some of the show on your radio if you’re lucky enough to be in the listening area of a radio station partner. “You can purchase care packages right now, right here, in advance of the web-a-thon. Buy early and often. “The tireless Melanie Morgan got the ball rolling a few months ago during an e-mail exchange we were having about the untapped synergies between radio, grass-roots conservative activism, and the Internet. I introduced her to Brad Hunstable at UStream and things took off like a rocket. The MAF team has amazing organizational skills and boundless energy; UStream’s staff has also gone above and beyond in making the program happen. I’m honored to play a small part in this unprecedented event and can’t wait for you to join us for an unforgettable day.” Catherine Moy reports that thousands of Americans have already sponsored packages through MAF’s website and a giant database of names and addresses of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is being built—the intent being that the packages can reach the military men and women in time for the 4th of July holiday. It’s a good feeling to know that when you’re opening your picnic hamper on the lawn in front of your town’s bandshell, that somewhere in faraway Iraq or Afghanistan, a soldier is smiling over the contents of a July 4th package straight from home. For sure, this Canadian journalist is not the only one feeling the blowing winds of change. The November presidential election looms and a man who would dare use the Presidential Seal as his personal prop, is said to be ahead in the polls. Barack Obama is campaigning on a platform of change, but he’s like all the other Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha Democrats, in his post-election promise to pull the troops out of Iraq. Savour the day on July 4th. Savour the songs you hear being played by the marching bands, salute the flag and repeat in your heart, “God bless our troops. God Bless America!” “And Please God don’t let Independence Day, 2008 be the end of an era.


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Judi McLeod -- Bio and Archives -- Judi McLeod, Founder, Owner and Editor of Canada Free Press, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years’ experience in the print and online media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared throughout the ‘Net, including on Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.

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