AM~Erica Just Wants an Independence Celebration

So anyway...


...is that so wrong?


This is a slightly edited version of a Facebook post I had about my thoughts on Independence Day in Independence:


I'm so super disappointed. It was Independence Day; I live in Independence; Independence does not a whole lot of Independence Day. It makes NO sense!! There's fireworks at the Mormon Center with some orchestrated music right before hand. TA-DA! That's it. No extra events. Nothing. I am so disappointed that there couldn't be a parade around the square with a Harry Truman impersonator. We have several local television anchors that hail from here that are used for emcees for other events...so why not a grand marshall? Why can't we have barbershop quartets & bands? The possibilities from this town are nearly endless & this community focuses on Labor Day weekend doing Santa Cali Gon Days...but C'MON!!

It's so sad that there was some trivia that came up on the news about Independence Day & July 4th. One of the facts thrown out there was that there are 14 cities with "Independence" in or as its name. Interesting, right. Well, it seems that Independence, MO is the famous one. I'd like to think it really has to do with the ties to Harry Truman, but I'm afraid that it might be because it was once the Meth Capitol of the World. I swear we have shed that title. But I am frustrated with this great community.


A lesser known community in Kansas, also called Independence, is a small town that takes great pride in it's name. Parades, fireworks, decorations...and they fully welcome visitors. I am in a city that thinks it's a small town, but only most accepting of anyone who is FROM here. Outsiders don't get to find out a whole lot & generally know about it afterward, unless you have REALLY good inside information.


I did find out there was at least a kids' parade SOMEWHERE in this city, but after the fact, of course. And I did find out that somewhere between 15-20 years ago, at least, there was major celebration here! There were gatherings at the Truman Library, the KC Symphony played with the fireworks...*sigh* How wonderful does that sound?


Is it too much to want a parade that's well advertised? In this city, it is believed you should only check the local paper for anything & everything. Yes, in a time when things are becoming multi & social media...it is looked down upon if you don't get & read the actual newspaper. So, I guess that's one reason we miss out on some stuff...but, once again...C'MON! 


Apparently the Independence Chamber of Commerce puts on Santa Cali Gon Days durning Labor Day weekend. That's great. But why doesn't the city step up & celebrate the city?


I love that we are here. I do love people here. I am not fond of the over-rooted culture. Citizens "from here" don't let go of much & won't let "newbies" (anyone who's DNA doesn't start here) in. 


I am all about traditions. I am also all about starting new ones, or even tweaking some. The point is making progress, but still holding on to where you started. It's OK to do so. 


So, my proposal of a day-long event, or chain of events, is to enrich the deep history of this great city, still give it a small town feel, but make it open for the whole KC metro area & beyond. Decorations, parades, good ol' Harry Truman himself, music, fireworks! There is so much that could happen around the square & many other places around town. Where is the pride? Where is the want to turn around the image that it already has?


There was about a week where Independence hit the news about every other story...and none of it was good. Any positive thing we saw happening was not being covered by the media. So guess what, Independence, MO? We don't have the best image around Kansas City OR the entire nation! They don't hang on to Harry's days here...they focus on the old meth lab busts & the awful crime & weirdness that happens. And having your events happen at the Mormon center doesn't really help, either.


So here is my plea: Take pride in this city, know it's a city, know there is rich history, celebrate the rich history in it's name. Why would you let a small town in Kansas with the same name get better & more positive coverage of their celebration on Independence Day than us?


~ Independence is proud of their city
~ Independence is proud of their schools
~ Independence is proud of the history
~ Independence is VERY proud of Harry Truman

(Harry Truman statue outside the Independence Courthouse on the square)

Show it!! Shout it!! Don't make it an insider deal. If it was originally a hub where people came thru to begin with, why would we shun that idea? Bring it back. More than just Santa Cali Gon.


I already have my soapbox for calling July 4th Independence Day, so why wouldn't I want a town I live in, which happens to be called Independence, to step up?


Wake up, Independence & get with the program. I'm happy we get to be here...are you all happy people keep coming in? It's hard to tell. 


Be the hub, be welcoming, be proud. BE THE CITY OF INDEPENDENCE! 


Stay tuned...


God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Sees the Divide

So anyway...

There is an important holiday coming up tomorrow. Independence Day, of course! It is the birthday of our wonderful country! But what are we celebrating when there is such dysfunction going on?

The sad truth is, we are a family horribly divided. Many of you have read about my purple politics, but there is such a pull of apart of red & blue...it's disgusting.

Well, I will probably, once again, tick people off with my brand of politics. There's actual common sense in my view. It's almost like a superpower anymore. There can actually be compromise, and there's such a divide that refuse to see it that way. I'm going to point out a few things that need to make you think. It may be painful. It may make some of you pout in a corner. It might pull out some extra bullhorns & megaphones besides mine...but it needs to be heard...again.

People, do you realize you are grumbling about what the other side says...and you are arguing the same thing pretty much? The twisting of words to try to make your own point for "your side" is ridiculous.

A question I have is to whether or not you all actually read & listen to what is happening, or do you go about it with totally closed minds that the "other side" is just wrong no matter what?

I'm going to point out a couple of brief things about the healthcare thing. There is good stuff AND bad stuff. It's not ALL good...just like it's not ALL bad. Wake up to the good and the bad, OK? The good? Everyone is to be covered & not turned away. No pre-existing conditions can prevent you from getting insurance. YEA! That's awesome! The bad? We are going to be forced to get insurance. It will literally be illegal to not have any...and you will be forced to pay a TAX PENALTY if you don't have any. Oh...and no matter who wins the election later this year, this doesn't take effect until 2014...and no one can fight it since there is a TAX involved until it's put into place. So...there is also so much wrong with this whole thing from BOTH SIDES!! So...why can't we all work together to get the bad out & the good in...and work toward the same goal? Are we all that power-hungry? Oh...I guess so. I would like to point out that our vehicles (which are THINGS) are better insured than each of us. Just throwing that out there.

Something else I'm going to point out that is quite ugly is the amount of money being spent on just elections. I want to throw up thinking about it. We are all upset about the economy & the lack of jobs...yet we are being driven to donate money to people who are trying to OUTSPEND each other to trick you into voting for them. Where is this money going? Well, my hubby helped break this down a bit: approximately 2 BILLION dollars will be spent on the election campaign trail. That's gagalicious as it is...and it doesn't go into the thinking of the amount of our country's debt, and the fact that approximately 40,000 people could make an annual salary of $50,000 for that amount of money...that is going to tricking people into voting for them...trying to outspend each other...while the economy is a mess...to say pretty much the same stuff. Hmmmmm...

So, gullible koolaide drinkers, you can twist & mince all the words you want, but there are major ugly truths that go beyond what I have pointed out above that you all won't look that much more into.

You know what's even worse? That 2 billion dollars is to go to the undecided voters. There's so many of you who have already made up your mind of which side you will vote for, it has nothing to do with the person or their personal views necessarily, and the money won't even sway you. The undecided voters are either over gullible & will listen to only the twisted words of the one who spent more money, or they aren't even going to head to the polls because of how awful this is. Do you see how ugly this is?

(This pic has been posted several times on Facebook by good people who this is geared toward - 
then they keep posting their one-sided political stuff. Talk about missing the point!)

So, as we celebrate our country's birthday, that falls on July 4th...that is called INDEPENDENCE DAY, what are we really celebrating? The freedom to fight one another because of brain-washed opinions? That's beautiful. Not exactly what I call the home of the brave.

I know these are very ugly words. I try to keep it positive in the end...but what possibly is positive about all of this right now? Are we just going to barbeque & blow stuff up in pretty explosions to get along for 27 hours (the total of all the time zones in the country) & then go back to being disgusting to each other? That's cute to make face for a day...but what about the others? What about respect toward each other, the country, and whoever is in charge? No we don't have the best people in place...but we voted them in! Using our freedom to vote when we lack the actual knowledge needed to get the right people in? Right.

I have brought up having a Moderate Party (said slightly tongue-in-cheek) & the criticism I got for it was awful! You mean...how dare me want to find compromise & want to have this country come back together? How dare me want to bridge the divide? What is wrong with me? *face palm*

There may be some face-palming from some of you reading this, but I'm going to bring up a GLEE moment. Back when Sue Sylvester was running for congress, she did it in an ugly campaign. UGLY! But it was great for us because she's a fictional character, and her corruptive brain is beautiful for satire, not for real life. But there are campaigns run like she did it...in real life. There was another guy on the ballot that ran against her doing some of the same stuff. But...there was a candidate that ran after the cutoff for getting your name on a ballot, so he ran a campaign to be a write-in vote. He did a better campaign, ran as a write-in vote campaign...and WON! Yes...I know it was fictional, but what a great idea!  Why can't we find a moderate to step up & take the reigns as a different party.

The two-party system is broken & corrupt. It's ugly. We need someone better.

I fully respect, usually, who is in the highest office of our nation. The lack of respect for it is awful. Why don't you try to take it over & see how that works for you? Scary thought, huh?

So...as we hug at the birthday party tomorrow, remember it can last past blowing things up & sitting around a table inhaling grilled fare. Yes, our opinions can be different, but it's about finding compromise. Like any relationship to work...it can't be one way or the other; it's both/and. And it's not about pointing out all the faults, it's about lifting up what's great & working thru ALL the faults...from ALL sides.

Hug it out, find a way, dump your red & blue koolaid cups into the big vat in the middle & see the pretty purple. It's the best way. THAT's what makes the country great!

So...are you pouting yet? Well, take it to the party tomorrow...jump in a pool & cool off!

*CHEERS*

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica's Holiday Greeting Smack-Down

So anyway...


Today, as I look at the calendar, is July 4, 2011. If I am correct, this is a day that an important holiday falls on in American history & culture. But, wait a minute, what is it called again? Oh yes...INDEPENDENCE DAY!

I am trying to figure out what other holiday we celebrate where we call it by the day/date:

Happy 1st of Janurary!

Happy 14th of February!

Happy 17th of March!

Happy 5th of May!

Happy 3rd Sunday of May!

Happy 4th Monday of May!

Happy 3rd Sunday of June!

Happy 1st Monday of September!

Happy 31st of October!

Happy 25th of December!

As you are reading through these, do they sound ridiculous to say? Of course they do! Because we wish the actual holiday name to others in our greetings on each of those days! OK, so the closest on is 5th of May, but we do actually say "Cinco de Mayo" to use for it.

And when it is our birthday, or someone else's, do we wish them "Happy [date]"? NO! We tell them "Happy Birthday"! We just celebrated my brother's birthday on July 2nd. We are certainly NOT going to tell him, "Hey! Happy 2nd of July, Dan! Have fun!"

So think about this as we celebrate today wishing our great nation "Happy Birthday" and greeting each other with "Happy INDEPENDENCE Day".

Just something to think about as you greet each other for cookouts & fireworks...and whatever else it is that you all have planned. And remember we get to celebrate our independence because of our soldiers & troops, through the years, who have helped to keep it that way. Thank a soldier & vet that we get to celebrate today! (Because we CERTAINLY don't wish them "Happy 11th of November".)

Have a wonderful, fun-filled, safe & thankful INDEPENDENCE DAY, everyone!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica