Right about now most are experiencing an onslaught of emotions, but I surmise the main one is American angst

It doesn’t even matter where you align. If you’re a fiscal conservative you might be stressing about the trillion dollar deficits we keep increasing. If you’re pro-2nd amendment you’re worried about dem taking away your guns. If you lean the other way, you’re dreading the next cuck blasting away kids with an AR. You’re brooding about the borders, wars in the middle east, neo- robber barons suckering the poor, work, values…

Even if you’re totally a-political, I bet you’re on some level dealing with shit costing too much, the education of your children or medical care of yourself or a loved one.

Then throw all that into a 24-hr news cycle blender of CNN, FOX, Youtube, Twitter, and voila:

American Angst

It’s no wonder we come across stories of seemingly random violence. It’s a minor miracle it actually doesn’t occur more often TBH

Then every 4rth of July we sorta agree on collective amnesia for a day, bbq, and blow shit up.

With that in mind, I’d like to share some “4rth of July” movies, music and quotes.

“Dazed and Confused” often gets discarded as merely a “stoner movie.” However, it’s much more. It’s not a “4rth of July” movie per se, but it covers a lot – from absurd HS rituals, politics, coming of age, small town football culture, and yes, sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. It’s also car-porn!

To boot, it has one of my favorite lines from any movie:

^{“Well, all I’m saying is that I want to look back and say that I did I the best I could while I was stuck in this place. Had as much fun as I could while I was stuck in this place. Played as hard as I could while I was stuck in this place… Dogged as many girls as I could while I was stuck in this place.”}
If you want a fun, semi-deep, 4rth of July flick with cool soundtrack, throw on some “Dazed and Confused.”

It’s hard to imagine the liberal teacher in Dazed sharing anything with Jackie Cogan [played by Brad Pitt], an ‘entrepreneurial ‘ contract killer in “Killing Them Softly,” but both actually express similar cynicism on the “American Dream.” The difference is that Jackie Cogan doesn’t try to change the system – he embraces it.

“Jackie Cogan: My friend, Jefferson’s an American saint because he wrote the words, “All men are created equal.” Words he clearly didn’t believe, since he allowed his own children to live in slavery. He was a rich wine snob who was sick of paying taxes to the Brits. So yeah, he wrote some lovely words and aroused the rabble, and they went out and died for those words, while he sat back and drank his wine and fucked his slave girl. This guy wants to tell me we’re living in a community. Don’t make me laugh. I’m living in America, and in America, you’re on your own. America’s not a country. It’s just a business. Now fucking pay me.”

“Killing Them Softly” is a bit more grim, a slow-paced vignette of post-recession U.S. , but an interesting watch nonetheless.

On that note, here are three 4rth of July protest jams.

Butch, you’re killing my buzz, scro!

Alright alright.

On a more positive vibe, here’s two great quotes from the immortal Thomas Paine:

<sub>“Every age and generation must be as free to act for itself in all cases as the age and generations which preceded it.”

“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.”</sub>

Some other non-sensical 4rth of July clips for shits and giggles.

In the end, “South Park” sums it up best:

So get in your shorts, sandals, wife-beater, fire up the grill, knock back some beers while the neighbors try to blow up the block with highly illegal fireworks.

Enjoy.

‘Merica!