Not to be overshadowed by the FIFA World Cup or Taylor Swift’s marriage—both global spectacles—the Orange Felon pressed ahead, defying sagging public support and even the weather gods to stage a decidedly subpar celebration. In the middle of his all-about-me charade of patriotism, staged in 100-degree heat, thunder and lightning split the sky in what seemed an ominous portent, prompting officials to evacuate the crowd. It was a pathetic conclusion to America’s 250th anniversary, but perhaps it was the ending deserved by someone so ignorant of its significance.

It is clearly obvious that this president hasn’t read the Declaration of Independence nor understands its words. He also has little grasp of the accompanying Bill of Rights, which we will here reproduce for those vaguely familiar or new arrivals. (See the facing page for the full text, cut it out and post it on your refrigerator if you like).

This July 4th was the celebration of the ideals that all men (mankind) are created equal and are endowed by their creator (not the Biblical God) with certain unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Because the Constitution’s original language proved insufficiently specific, Congress adopted the United States Bill of Rights 15 years later. Drafted primarily by James Madison, these amendments were designed to protect individual liberties, constrain federal power, and shield the states and the people from the very sort of tyranny this president represents.

For details on how the Orange Felon hijacked America’s 250th birthday celebration, see the story on Page 4 of this issue — and weep for America. Not since the height of the Vietnam War have I been so angered at our national government. . The repression we have seen in the last several months, the graft and unbridled corruption since 47 has taken office again make me wonder if he actually had his hand on the Bible when he was sworn into office or perhaps he had his fingers crossed –clearly he didn’t mean a word of his oath of office.

You’ve all probably heard that he has made $2.1 billion since he entered office the second time, an amount both obscene and illegal as there are certain emolument clauses in the US Constitution prohibiting such gifts and graft– but hey if you vote a criminal into office, what do you really expect– a saint? There will come a time after the midterm elections when even some, not all, of his Republican flunkies will jump ship like rats jumping off a burning barge.

It seems like now America is reliving its darkest Nixonian criminal past, the worst of the Reagan/Bush Iran-Contra scandal, and the second Persian Gulf War, all wrapped up into the worst America has to offer.

In contrast, the FIFA World Cup has brought together people from all over the world for the love of a sport. Win, lose, or draw, they celebrate. Like this past Sunday, when Mexico played England, Californian Latinos celebrated as if they had won, even though they lost. For them, just having a national team elevated to the highest stage to compete justified a rise in self-esteem. The next day, the American team lost to Belgium, but you didn’t see a bunch of USA fans going crazy in the streets… well, as long as you don’t count the July 4th riot at Newport Beach, where some 400 people were arrested.

There is still one thing that will bring America together once again, and that will be the complete investigation and prosecution of the Epstein file perpetrators and then the impeachment of Donald J. Trump, the criminal in the White House. He is doing everything he can to derail the upcoming national election by trying to change mail-in voting, getting the SAVE Act passed, and gerrymandering congressional districts to slant Republican. So far, it hasn’t worked, and yet the closer the election comes, be prepared, my friends, for more distractions: ICE raids or other extrajudicial actions to create more chaos than clarity. His main tool is creating fear–fear of immigrants, fear of Muslims, fear of communists, and fear of those lefty Democrats! In more common terms, getting people to fear each other.

Let’s just go back to the meaning of the recent holiday celebrating the very radical idea that All Men are Created Equal and square that with anything coming out of the Orange Felon’s mouth any given day. We all have come here from somewhere else, some earlier, some later, some with papers and many without, but we are all here now. Our Declaration of Independence has been emulated throughout the world; it has become the standard by which other democracies are compared. And here we are letting this clown tear down 250 years of laws and political traditions by placing himself at the podium, blathering. The whole world is in shock, and those of us who have seen the past 70 years are crying for the America that holds the light of freedom and liberty.

I sometimes think this is the president America deserves after all of our hypocrisies on race and abuse of justice, and that by exposing these fundamental truths about our nation, we now have to confront the very uncomfortable truth–that America has always been about freedom and liberty for some, not all people. This is our time for corrective action. This is our time to remember the words of President Franklin Roosevelt that our greatest fear is fear itself.

This nation has risen from the ashes of the Great Depression, fought a world war against Fascism, and has delivered on the promise of civil rights, all with great personal sacrifices from our forefathers. Are we now to turn our backs and pretend we do not see? Have we become blind and deaf to the suffering of others, pretending they are somehow not us?

Frankly, it’s time to turn back the clock to read FDR’s Second Bill of Rights and to deliver on the full potential of America, the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, and bring prosperity and dignity back to this country and fulfill the vision of the Declaration of Independence. And if that leads you to call me a communist, I don’t think you understand what the term actually means.