Scenes from our Fourth of July

From the Sacramento, CA CBS affiliate:

American Flags Ripped Down Day Before Turlock Fourth Of July Parade
A stunning act of vandalism right before the Fourth of July had Turlock residents and workers scrambling to fix American flags.

It�s almost inconceivable and it is certainly extremely disrespectful.

Vandals damaged about a dozen flags put up in downtown for Turlock�s big parade, jumping to pull the stars and stripes down with their weight, severely bending the poles.

The flags drooped down nearly to the sidewalk. If we�re talking money, it�s about $500 worth of damage. But of course, we�re talking about the flag, so it goes deeper than that.

An after-hours assembly line scrambled to repair the damage done in a building with no air conditioning on a summer day where temperatures were well into the 100s.

Workers were fixing a triumphant display of patriotism that was turned into an ugly display of disrespect.

160+ comments -- this one caught my eye:

Liberals.

Unemployed.... malcontent.....immature.....probably mad about some sort of entitlement they didn't receive, so they have to act out publicly in order that everybody sees their behavior and feel their "pain".

But definitely liberals. A conservative wouldn't do something like this. They just wouldn't.

From NewsBusters:

Oliver Stone Tells European Audience on Fourth of July 'The World is in Danger With Our Tyranny'
Dontcha just love it when pompous Hollywoodans speak ill of America on national holidays while traveling abroad?

Take Oliver Stone for example who on the Fourth of July actually said of the United States at a film festival in the Czech Republic, "The world is in danger with our tyranny."

As The Wrap reported moments ago, Stone also said during a press conference at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, "It's a disgrace that Obama is more concerned with hunting down Snowden than reforming these George Bush-style eavesdropping techniques...To me, Snowden is a hero, because he revealed secrets that we should all know, that the United States has repeatedly violated the Fourth Amendment."

And of course, Stone fails to mentions that the European nations are spying right back on us as well as on their neighbors. Everybody does it -- this is a non-issue, the only issue is releasing the content. The big problem (one that Stone failed to mention) is the domestic spying. Bush instituted this but it was only telephone conversations when one of the parties was overseas and a specific person of interest. Obama has expanded this to everyone inside the United States. Big difference... From The Washington Examiner:

Gallup: Republicans more proud to be American than Democrats
In recognition of Independence Day, Gallup has released a poll on whether American citizens are still proud to be American.

Ninety-three percent of Republicans indicate that they are �extremely/very proud� to be American while only 85 percent of Democrats feel the same way.

Eighty-one percent of political Independents indicate they are �extremely/very proud.�

Likewise, 89 percent of poll respondents who identified themselves as conservative are �extremely/very proud,� to be American compared to 76 percent of liberals.

And finally, from the Pittsburgh, PA CBS affiliate:

Military Fireworks Show Cut, Even Though Local Company Volunteered To Do It For Free
Military veterans are upset after the annual Camp Lejeune fireworks show for military members and their families was cut.

What makes it even worse: A Pittsburgh area company offered to do the show for free, but the government said, thanks, but no thanks.

The military says the show meant for more than 47-thousand Marines and Sailors was cancelled due to federal cutbacks.

�They were very appreciative, they were certainly hoping they could do it. There just aren�t the funds due to sequestration.�

The Zambelli Family has done the fireworks at Camp Lejeune before, and this year, after hearing they were cancelled due to federal money problems, they promised to do them for free.

The military still said no, citing additional costs besides the fireworks.

Lulu, Kaloha and I are spending a quiet day at the farm. Eight miles away, the town of Glacier puts on quite the fireworks display -- there are collection bottles out at local businesses. A lot of fun.