Let freedom sting...er ring!

This is a conversation I just had with Mr J:

Me: I need to make a blog post about how much I hate this holiday.
Him: Why?
Me: Because I'm a jerk?
Him: Yes.

What a lovely husband I have!  But I like someone who will tell it like it is, much like I always will.

I haven't mentioned this yet here, but I have dual citizenship: British and American.  I lived in England as a small child, though now I obviously live in the United States, I have gone back and forth between the two countries all my life.  I believe these experiences have given me a unique perspective when it comes to observing our country.

Side note: I have had many people ask me "Do they have the 4th of July in England?"  This always warrants a smartass answer, sometimes I say "Yes, of course they celebrate 4th of July" and sometimes I say "No, they skip from the 3rd right to the 5th."

OK, I don't actually hate Independence Day, per se, but it is one of those pseudo-holidays that really gets on my nerves.  Some people might point out that all holidays are fake or made up, but that's a discussion for another day.  Right now we're only discussing Independence Day.  Let's first list the things I like about it:

• Fireworks.  What's not to like?  Blowing stuff up and they're pretty.  Win-win.
• Getting off work.  I only just started my new job, but I was ready for a vacation day!  That place is exhausting.

I guess that's it, or else I just can't think of anything else.  Now let's list what I don't like:

• Uber-patriotism.  The whole "America is the best country EVERRRRR!" attitude just irritates me.  For further information, watch the first 10 minutes of The Newsroom.  Will's rant sums up my feelings precisely.
• BBQs, family get-togethers, parties, etc.  I just really can't be bothered to enjoy any of these anymore.  I just went over to my family's house and left with my sister screaming at me.  I'm still not sure why.
• People acting like idiots.  Tonight is one of the busiest nights for the ER, because idiots are blowing their hands off, letting children play with fireworks or driving home drunk after all the beer at the BBQ.  It does not give me hope in the human race.

 The first point is the biggest one for me.  The undying love for this country gets under my skin, it seems like a contest to see who is the best American.  Who cares?  And, for some reason, Independence Day also seems like a day to celebrate the military.  I'm talking about the "Land of the free because of the brave" meme that shows up on Facebook every year.  Last I checked, we have not had any foreign invasions, nor has our country been in any sort of real jeopardy.

So there we go.  America is an annoying country, full of stupid people, who celebrate a fake holiday.  But I still love seeing the adorable patriotic rat at the top of this post.  What do you think of Independence Day?  Is it truly a time to reflect on America's past or is it simply an excuse to blow stuff up?