07/03/2020

A 4th of July Like No Other

Be safe - it must get better

It feels like we’ve shifted from uncertainty and optimism (“maybe we won’t have to cancel our organization’s meeting this year”) to a resigned recognition that we are in this for the long haul. This is particularly true for those of us based in the U.S., where we have catastrophically mismanaged our approach to the pandemic.

We are now a quarantined nation, rightfully blocked from travel to much of the world. Where the 4^th of July is usually a time for barbecues and fireworks, anyone with the slightest awareness of public health will spend the day in a much quieter and lonelier manner.

In past “out of office” notices for the holiday, my thoughts have often been drawn to one of my favorite bands, X, not only because of their great song “4^th of July” but also because to me they are the quintessential American rock band, drawing on musical tradition from Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie through the Ramones. Rather than reposting “4^th of July” again, this year I’m offering up “The New World," which makes even more sense now than it did during its Reagan-era release. Hang in there, stay safe, and we’ll see you on Monday.

Please select this link to watch the video posted on The Scholarly Kitchen.