An Activist’s Fourth of July Vacation Agenda
Celebrate my reproductive freedom (oops)
Go to an LGBTQ marriage in Wisconsin (oops, no license)
Celebrate “one person, one vote” (oooooops… Citizens United)
Celebrate American Union rights (oops)
Call Edward Snowden, invite him over to relax (is he still at that airport?)
Eat “brats” and drink beer (except I don’t eat pork, oops)
Guess it’s down to beer.
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
As always, Mama Zen at Imaginary Garden With Real Toads wants ‘em short and sweet, and she asked for vacation themes. Since activists are NEVER on vacation, this is as close as I’ll come! Peace to all, and prayers for the troops… and I stand by my comment on Edward Snowden. I strongly disagree that he leaked security dox that would “compromise national security.” The American, Iraqi, and Afghan people are suffering national INSECURITY, and any info we can get from the “transparent” Obama administration about this (insert expletive here) war is like gold. We are being taken for the same ride that Bush started, and I don’t appreciate it, not one little bit. If I had my own country, I’d offer Mr. Snowden sanctuary, a free condo, and drinks on the house. Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
coalblack
I can’t even have beer! 😛
Sharp Little Pencil
Then we’ll have some strong coffee!
Roger Green
I don’t like beer! I’m totally hosed! Except for the turkey hot dogs.
Love that the move hasn’t muzzled your moxie!
Sharp Little Pencil
This was written before I broke a tooth (the crown, part of the tooth went with it) and went through the hellish CRACK of extraction… and now I’m high as a kite on Vicodin… which, believe it or not, is no fun at all!
Patricia A. McGoldrick
For a play on a song title, even activists just want to have fun! Quite a list there, Amy! Happy 4th from Canada!
kaykuala
You have your plate full. There is always an activity list of active activists that makes life more interesting and fulfilling to them.. Obviously you’re no exception. Admiring the energy you have to uphold the sense of purpose you have chosen. Well done Amelita! Keep the good flag flying1
Hank
Sherry Blue Sky
Yes, I admire your vigor, Amy. Hope your move is heart-filling. Guess what? I am moving, too – in mid-August – back to my beloved and longed-for beach. I am ECSTATIC.
Kerry O'Connor
As an outsider with little room to comment on US policy, I must nonetheless send a round of applause your way. It’s heartening to know that not everyone swallows the ready-cooked handout meals that governments worldwide would like us to feast on.
Sharp Little Pencil
Especially the US’ own FOX News. Criminently, I have to watch BBC News America to find out what’s doing on in my own country!
Jannie Funster
i stopped watching the news, but not drinking beer. and could never stop poetry-ing with y’all. my agenda today — hopping to my favorite blogs while the child has her gymnastics training (yes, even on the 4th they have their 6 hour regimen.) all summer it’s in the car at 6:30 a.m. 5 days a week.(be glad when school starts back up, for a break.)4
enjoy your beer. xo
Helen
Raising my glass in support … CHEERS! Happy 4th!
Susan
Nicely done. These an d more are turning over and over in my mind. I inhabit different locations, but cannot turn off the thinking.
Sharp Little Pencil
Susan, so true, and I went to your site (couldn’t find a comment box…) and found your wonderful poem about unsent letters. I have the same. Email has unfortunately allowed many of us to send vile words in a kneejerk minute. Has gotten me into trouble. Now I have gone back to writing replies by hand. The next day I find it’s not worth the trouble it would cause to send.
But some of those letters remind me why I am an activist. My sisters will question why I even care about global warming, etc., when all they watch is FOX News and are both Birthers. Yeah, lots of letter writing, LOL!
Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly)
Happy fourth! I will be drinking wine! 🙂
Mama Zen
In the Voting Rights decision, Justice Roberts announced that racism was no longer an issue in America, so I plan to invite George Zimmerman and Paula Deen over for a barbecue.
grapeling
Ha! Also invite that guy who won the hot dog eating contest. Because, gluttony. for. punishment is evidently the murkin way
J Cosmo Newbery
Well, that kills the ‘land of the free’, doesn’t it!
El Guapo
Be nice if a few of those “oops” could have been done.
Beer is a good place to start though. we can start on the rest after that.
othermary
:o( It always comes down to beer in Wisconsin. I’ll be doing none of those things too just west of you Amy.
othermary
Ok, in the above comment that is supposed to be a frown…I put a nose on my faces and end up with the wrong expression on WP.
grapeling
Amy, I suspect you can add a “p” before the “oops” and it’ll scan and mean about the same. I drank Sam Adams Blueberry for Independence. Remember “in” in “inflammable” has a null value. I wonder if that can be applied to any other words that begin with “In”. Hmm.
Maggie Grace
lol…change is in the air for sure! No beer here but will toast you with an espresso!
Sara v
Amy, love that comment that activists never take vacation…so many oops, it is frustrating. But we did get a good decision out of the Supreme court (at the same time that we got a horrible one…oops)