Our 250th Birthday in the News

 "It's our 250th birthday, and no one seems to know what we're celebrating" read a story in The Atlantic. Their point is that our shared history isn't taught in schools and even universities nowadays.

I taught "Media--its impact on History and Culture" and "Critical Studies in Media". Both were about history, and mostly our history. But there is no demand for those subjects now! Sigh.

It's more than long speeches and fireworks explosions. Oh, yes, there were long speeches and fireworks. There was reflection our history, our forefathers. There were tall ships on the Atlantic shores. And, yes, there were speeches. Most speeches focused on ideals and aspirations. President Trump took the stage after 11 p.m. after a three-hour delay due to thunderstorms, but ever the showman, Trump insisted that the show must go on despite the late hour.

National news coverage was all about Independence Day, with the exception of the gross spectacle of the hotdog eating contest. Predictably, Fox was more devoted to Trump. NBC news nowadays has a new tone due to the retirement of Lester Holt and the promotion of Tom Llamas.

Llamas was even more breathless than usual. He was cramming the cast, rattling off one story after another. He did squeeze in an airplane, the new Air Force One, as it flew over the Washington celebration. (Nightly news seems to have an airplane crash or some issue in ever show. It is a show now. That will be a future post.)

Locally, the holiday news was tempered by the July 4, 2025 disastrous, deadly flooding. Around 130 a.m. people died when the Guadelupe River washed away camps, communities, and recreational vehicles in the dark, early hours that holiday. Twenty-three were girls at Camp Mystic. All media included remembrances in their coverage. KXAN TV had special stories all week telling about the event and the enduring damage to lives and property.

Then, of course, there was video of neighborhood parades and festivities. But, what about patriotism, love of country? Where can we get a dose of patriotism? We can watch Ken Burns' documentary "The American Revolution" on PBS. And if we need a present-day model for patriotism, consider the people of Ukraine.