[VIDEO] Obama Leaves Out ‘God’ From 4th of July Weekly Address

As Obama’s term as President is slowly nearing its end, more and more of who the man is, and what he truly stands for, is beginning to seep out.

For instance, President Obama released his 4th of July weekly address for 2015 with one key ingredient missing: God.

Unlike his weekly addresses during the previous two years, where the President concluded his speeches with “God Bless You All” (2014) and “So, God bless You All. And may God bless The United States of America” (2013), Obama left out any mention of God in his recent address. Instead, this year, he chose to end his speech with a very politically correct, “Thanks, everybody. From my family to yours, have a safe and happy Fourth of July.”

Here’s the transcript:

“Remarks of President Barack Obama

Weekly Address

The White House

July 4, 2015

Happy Fourth of July, everybody. Like many of you, Michelle, Sasha, Malia, and I are going to spend the day outdoors, grilling burgers and dogs, and watching the fireworks with our family and friends. It’s also Malia’s birthday, which always makes the Fourth extra fun for us.

As always, we’ve invited some very special guests to our backyard barbecue – several hundred members of our military and their families. On this most American of holidays, we remember that all who serve here at home and overseas, represent what today is all about. And we remember that their families serve, too. We are so grateful for their service and for their sacrifice.

We remember as well that this is the day when, 239 years ago, our founding patriots declared our independence, proclaiming that all of us are created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights including the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

A couple of centuries later, we have made ourselves into a big, bold, dynamic, and diverse country. We are of all races, we come from all places, we practice all faiths, and believe in all sorts of different ideas. But our allegiance to this declaration – this idea – is the creed that binds us together. It’s what, out of many, makes us one.

And it’s been the work of each successive generation to keep this founding creed safe by making sure its words apply to every single American. Folks have fought, marched, protested, even died for that endeavor, proving that as Americans, our destiny is not written for us, but by us.

We honor those heroes today. We honor everyone who continually strives to make this country a better, stronger, more inclusive, and more hopeful place. We, the people, pledge to make their task our own – to secure the promise of our founding words for our own children, and our children’s children.

And finally, what better weekend than this to cheer on Team USA – good luck to the U.S. Women’s National Team in the World Cup Final!

Thanks, everybody. From my family to yours, have a safe and happy Fourth of July.”

Via: Gateway Pundit

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REBUILDING AMERICAN CIVIC TRADITIONS ON THE 4TH OF JULY

Americans celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks, barbecues, picnics and all other kinds of enjoyable festivities. It’s wonderful that we live in a free country and are able to enjoy the fruits of our prosperity and freedom. However, merely wearing red,white, and blue, shirts with bald eagles on them, and other patriotic symbols is only a superficial way to celebrate America’s hard-fought for independence.

On top of the enjoyable celebrations of America’s birth, some time should be dedicated each Independence Day to recognizing and coming to a better understanding of the noble traditions that we have inherited from the founders. The sacred torch of liberty is a precious gift that has been passed down by generations of Americans, it is our duty to keep it alive and pass it on to the next.

On July 5, 1926, the 150th anniversary of the birth of our country, President Calvin Coolidge delivered an address at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Coolidge spoke about the causes of the Revolution and the curtailment of rights that occurred at the hands of the British government. He explained how in separating from the British, America created a new government, with new principles; a far more profound act than than simply creating a new country out of the ashes of the old.

“It was not because it was proposed to establish a new nation, but because it was proposed to establish a nation on new principles, that July 4, 1776, has come to be regarded as one of the greatest days in history,” Coolidge said. He described the origins of American institutions as grounded in Western philosophy and in the American colonial experience. He spoke about how the timeless truths and rights “endowed by our creator,” articulated so eloquently in the Declaration, became cemented by the wise construction of the Constitution.

Coolidge said that the Constitution was created, “to establish a free government, which must not be permitted to degenerate into the unrestrained authority of a mere majority or the unbridled weight of a mere influential few,” he continued. “They undertook to balance these interests against each other and provide the three separate independent branches, the executive, the legislative, and the judicial departments of the Government, with checks against each other in order that neither one might encroach upon the other. These are our guarantees of liberty.”

Finally, Coolidge stressed how America must not fall into the trap of pure materialism, how the grand Declaration came from the “influence of a great spiritual development.”

Coolidge concluded:

No other theory is adequate to explain or comprehend the Declaration of Independence. It is the product of the spiritual insight of the people. We live in an age of science and of abounding accumulation of material things. These did not create our Declaration. Our Declaration created them. The things of the spirit come first. Unless we cling to that, all our material prosperity, overwhelming though it may appear, will turn to a barren scepter in our grasp.If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the fathers who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism. We must cultivate the reverence which they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshiped.

Many Americans may have lost sight of the timeless truths and great principles that Coolidge described, but those who still believe that the American heritage of liberty should endure and be passed on must create conventions to keep their country’s founding ideals alive in the modern era.

Radio host Dennis Prager has written about how “America Needs a July Fourth Seder.” Much like how Jews pass down their religion and history through annual reflection and discussion during Passover, Americans who believe in the country created by the founders should read foundational texts to their friends and family while discussing the ideas that made it exceptional. Even a brief, 10-minute exercise looking back on where we came from as a people prevents the pure trivialization of an extraordinarily important holiday.

But there are other ways of honoring America on the 4th as well. I personally make a pilgrimage to George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon to place flowers by the Father of Our Country’s grave. Every year, I reflect on Washington’s virtue and fundamental belief in the cause of the Revolution; I find that my annual tradition deepens my appreciation of the man and the founding generation’s greatness, and enhances the meaning of the holiday for me.

Historian Richard Brookhiser wrote in Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington, “When Washington lived he had the ability to give strength to debaters and to dying men. His life still has the power to inspire anyone who studies it.” In dark times, such as the circumstances American find themselves in today, it is a comfort and inspiration to reflect on the life of a man who endured through some of the darkest in our country’s history and triumphed.

American civic institutions, cultural heritage, and principles are under attack. If they continue to muddle in perpetual decline, and if we fail to pass them on to the next generation, then a more secure border, temporary policy victories, and better elected representatives will amount to very little. The American republic was built on principles and ideas, not ethnicity, and it will not survive unless there are future generations ready to forcefully articulate what those ideas are and what the purpose is of our grand experiment in liberty. That is why on the anniversary of American independence, it is so important to spend some time reminding ourselves of the great task before us: to honor, preserve, and perpetuate the great American tradition.

Via: Breitbart

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Inside The Fight To Save A Beloved World War I Memorial From Demolition

Editor’s Note: Freelance war reporter Alex Quade, who usually covers U.S. Special Forces on combat missions down-range, uncovers this story of a political battle on the home front.

HONOLULU — As America celebrates the 4th of July, and the world commemorates the centennial of World War I, one U.S. state is in danger of losing a memorial to its veterans killed in action.

The city of Honolulu is considering demolishing its official memorial to the fallen of World War I and moving a portion of the memorial across the street to the site of a separate remembrance plaque. Ten thousand service members from the then-Hawaiian territories fought in the Great War; 101 were killed.

Descendants of those killed are fighting the city over the fate of the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. First opened in 1927, the salt water swimming pool fell into disrepair after years of neglect and was closed in 1979.

World War I veteran descendant Naomi Weight (Photo: Screenshot/Alex Quade/The Daily Caller)

Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium arch (Photo: Screenshot/Alex Quade/The Daily Caller)

Despite being listed as a “national treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and recognized by the World War I Centennial Commission and American Battle Monuments Commission as unique among our national war memorials, it is under threat by interests who want to tear it down to make way for a beach and who cite the high cost of repairing it.

Before passing away, Senator and Medal of Honor recipient Daniel Inouye even weighed in on this situation, saying: “I am fully supportive [of] current efforts to preserve, restore, and improve this historic landmark.”

This is the story behind the fight to save the memorial and honor those who served.

Via: Daily Caller

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What was the weather like on July 4, 1776?

July 4, 1776
Independence Day

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed signifying our independence from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson drafted this historical document but he also kept weather logs. Here’s what he recorded for the first Independence Day, 239 years ago.

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Philadelphia Weather Conditions, July 4, 1776

6am: 68°  //  1pm: 76°  //  Warm and humid day*

*Keep in mind that heavy suits and wigs were the fashion of the time. There was not the luxury of air conditioning either.

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Here’s how Jefferson describes his ritual, “My method is to make two observations a day, the one as early as possible in the morning, the other from 3. to 4. aclock, because I have found 4. aclock the hottest and day light the coldest point of the 24. hours. I state them in an ivory pocket book in the following form, and copy them out once a week.”

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In the 1700’s, personal weather diaries allowed people to keep track of the weather. By the 1800’s the U.S. Weather Bureau was founded and became known as the National Weather Service during the 1900’s.

~ Meteorologist Candice Boling

Via: WNCT9

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Must-have craft beers for July 4th celebrations

Don’t water down your fireworks. These summer selections can be the life of the party.

The odds are pretty good you’re going to have a beer this weekend.

The Fourth of July is the biggest beer holiday of the year, according to Nielsen. Last year, consumers spent $825.8 million on ales, lagers and other sudsy beverages as they celebrated America’s independence – just under $300 million more than they do for the Super Bowl and $95 million more than Memorial Day.

So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise when you see all sorts of specials on Bud Light, Miller Light and Coors Light at your local grocery and package stores – or the heavy ad campaigns by the macro beer companies. And those pushes make plenty of sense. Given that July 4 celebrations are often day-long affairs, there’s a good case to be made for lighter, low alcohol beers.

Fortunately, craft brewers have become more cognizant of that – and there are some terrific options available. In fact, since July 4 is a holiday where even non-beer drinkers tend to pick one up at some point, this can be the perfect time to introduce people to craft options.

One way to do that is at a beer festival. There are, somewhat surprisingly, a couple of notable gatherings that occur this weekend. The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta will host Red, White & Brew, with more than 50 beers to sample (followed by a fireworks viewing on the roof of the Aquarium’s parking deck). And Portland’s Craft Beer Festival will be in full gear, with 45 brewers taking part in the three-day event.

But let’s be honest. Most of us will spend the day with friends and family, not too many steps away from the grill – and likely with a pool or ocean within sight as well. If that’s your plan and you’re looking for something different to put in the cooler this year, here are a few suggestions – based around what you might be doing at the time. As you sip by the pool or on the beach.

Via: Fortune

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[VIDEOS] Good Question: Why Do We Celebrate Independence Day On July 4?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Fourth of July is the celebration of America’s independence, but here’s a little known fact: We didn’t actually declare our independence on that day.

So why do we celebrate on July 4?

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence, which is the date on the document. But the Continental Congress had actually declared independence on July 2.

It wasn’t until July 8 that the city of Philadelphia celebrated, and then-Gen. George Washington didn’t know the declaration was official until July 9. Most of the signers penned their names on August 2. The news didn’t reach England until mid-August.

The fourth of July didn’t become an official U.S. holiday until 1870.

Via: Minneota CBS Local

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An Inside Look at America's Weirdest Independence Day Tradition

Turning gluttony into a spectator sport is the epitome of Americana. That makes our nation’s birthday the perfect day for the granddaddy of all competitive eating showdowns.

“The hot-dog contest is a physical manifestation of the concept of freedom,” said George Shea, the mastermind behind the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island. “The contest has come to represent the spirit of July 4th itself. That is why people go to the event. It is kind of a pilgrimage to the center of July 4th and the center of freedom.”

When our country celebrates its precious freedom Saturday with backyard barbecues and picnics in the park—tables piled high with burgers, frankfurters, potato salad and apple pie—some of us will declare independence from our diet. But it’s swimsuit season, so millions of Americans with more self-control will watch what they eat.

Not me. I will watch what Joey Chestnut eats.

I will be a judge at the Coney Island contest. More than 30,000 fans of the absurd will pack the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues to watch the annual feeding frenzy—the Super Bowl of eating contests. 

I have been assigned to count the franks consumed by Chestnut, the eight-time defending champion and undisputed greatest competitive eater in history. I’m practicing counting fast. Last year, Chestnut inhaled 61 hot dogs and buns—mustn’t forget the buns—in 10 minutes. As competitors in the I.F.O.C.E. (International Federation of Competitive Eating) will tell you, the buns are what drag you down in a hot-dog contest.

This will be my 10th judging the contest in a row. As the only journalist allowed behind the scenes, I have a front row seat and backstage pass to the weirdest Independence Day tradition in America.

***

Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand opened in 1916. Legend has it that they held a hot-dog eating contest that year. But official results weren’t recorded and kept until 1972, when Jason Schechter scarfed down 14 HD&B.

HD&B—that's how professional eating insiders refer to hot dogs and buns.

For the next few decades, the contest sputtered along with small crowds watching the winners eat between 10 and 20 dogs. Occasionally, a contestant had an exceptionally strong appetite and consumed 22 or 23…up to 25 franks. Few paid much attention. They were mostly big fat guys eating too much. It wasn’t pretty.  

Everything changed in 2001. Takeru "The Tsunami" Kobayashi, a skinny Japanese contestant barely out of his teens and packing swagger, rocked the world of highly processed meat and enriched white flour buns by stuffing 50 HD&B—double the previous record—in his belly.

Kobayashi employed a revolutionary technique of separating the hot dogs and buns, breaking the dogs in half and squishing the buns in water. Then he shoved the whole mess in his mouth. The waterlogged buns made everything slide down his throat with minimal chewing. Kobayashi called this “the Solomon Method.”

Why “Soloman Method?” Remember the biblical tale of wise King Soloman, who was confronted by two women, both claiming to be the mother of the same baby? In order to divine the true mother, Solomon said he would simply cut the baby in two, and give half to each woman. The first woman agreed to the deal. The other woman said no, I’d rather give up my baby than agree to this insane solution. Obviously she was the real mother.

Cut the baby in half—break the hot dogs in half. Get it? That’s Kobayashi, wise beyond his years. And one heck of an eater.

Kobayashi won six consecutive July 4th contests, peaking at 53 and 3/4 hot dogs.

Enter Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, a strapping 6-foot-3, 230-pound, Opie-looking lad from San Jose, California. Chestnut wolfed down 66 HD&B in 2007, rendering Kobayashi a dainty eater. Chestnut hasn’t lost since. He holds the all-time record, set in 2013, of 69 HD&B.

You could point to the Kobayashi-Chestnut rivalry as heralding the golden age of the July 4th hot-dog contest. Huge crowds pour into Coney Island to watch 15 men and 15 women swallow frankfurters at a furious pace. It is a chow down to the finish.

Via: Politico Magazine

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Editorial Cartoon: 4th of July

Via: Politicususa

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Fourth of July 2015 quotes, inspirations, history: celebrating America's Independence Day

The Fourth of July 2015 has arrived, and millions will be celebrating America's Day of Independence on Saturday and throughout the weekend.

Even though America has had its freedom since 1776, the Fourth of July's history may surprise: America's Fourth of July celebration has only been official since 1941.

The Fourth of July has been celebrated since the beginning of America's freedom, however.

From History.com: "In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues."

In honor of America's Independence Day, here are some inspirational quotes about freedom for the Fourth of July 2015:

"Give me liberty or give me death!" –Patrick Henry

 I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure it will cost us to maintain this declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet through all the gloom I see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is worth all the means. This is our day of deliverance."  --John Adams

"It is, indeed, a fallacy, base on no logic at all, for any American to suggest that the rule of force can defeat human freedom in all the other parts of the world and permit it to survive in the United States alone. But it has been that childlike fantasy itself that misdirected faith which has led nation after nation to go about their peaceful tasks, relying on the thought, and even the promise, that they and their lives and their government would be allowed to live when the juggernaut of force came their way." --Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1941

"Equal and exact justice to all men...freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of person under the protection of the habeas corpus; and trial by juries impartially selected, these principles form the bright constellation, which has gone before us." --Thomas Jefferson

"America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand." — Harry S. Truman

"Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth." --George Washington

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." --Thomas Jefferson

"My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth." --Abraham Lincoln 

Via: AL.com

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4th Of July Trivia Facts 2015: 15 Fun Things To Know About Independence Day

Happy birthday, America! Picnics, barbeques, cold drinks and fireworks: These are just some of the staples of the Fourth of July. But without America’s Founding Fathers -- George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and James Monroe -- there wouldn’t be an Independence Day to celebrate.

While most Americans know that the U.S.’s birthday is celebrated on July 4, it’s a misconception that all the signers of the Declaration of Independence signed it on the Fourth of July. For more fun facts about America’s Independence Day, keep reading:

1. How many people signed the Declaration of Independence on July Fourth?

Two.

2. What day did most signers of the Declaration of Independence actually sign the document?

Aug. 2, 1776.

3. Did you know which president was born on July 4?

It was Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president, in 1872.

4. Which three presidents died on the Fourth of July:

They were three of the first five presidents: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. The second president, Adams, and the third, Jefferson, both died in 1826, the 50th anniversary.

5. Most of the Founding Fathers agreed that July Fourth is the correct day to celebrate America’s independence from Great Britain -- except one. Who is it and why?

Adams thought July 2, the day the Second Continental Congress voted in Philadelphia to declare independence from Britain, would be the day patriots celebrated. “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America,” Adams wrote on July 3. “It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

6. When did the Fourth of July become a legal federal holiday?

1870. Then, in 1938, Congress reaffirmed the holiday to make sure all workers received full pay.

7. Is there something written on the back of the Declaration of Independence?  

Yes! It’s said the following is written upside down and backwards:  “Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th July 1776.” It’s not known who wrote it, or when. In Revolutionary War years, parchment was rolled up, so this probably served as a message.

8. The Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Contest has become an annual tradition. How did it start?

It’s a pretty cute story: Legend has it that four immigrants got into an argument over who was most patriotic. To prove themselves, they ate as many hot dogs as they could handle -- because nothing says America like excess.

9. America isn’t the only nation that celebrates the Fourth of July. Which other countries do, and why?

It might sound odd, but if you celebrate the Fourth of July outside the U.S., you still might see fireworks in Denmark, England, Norway, Portugal and Sweden. This is because thousands of people emigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s. Some European celebrations on the Fourth take place near tourist destinations -- to attract U.S. travelers -- or near American military bases.

10. When were fireworks first used to celebrate July Fourth?

1777. Congress chose fireworks as a way to celebrate the first anniversary. They were ignited over Philadelphia. The celebration also included bonfires and bells.

11. How many people lived in the U.S. when the Declaration was signed?

2.5 million.

12. What baseball player threw a 4-0 no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox on July 4, 1983?

New York Yankees pitcher Dave Righetti. It was the first no-hitter in 27 years.

13. Which newspaper first printed the Declaration of Independence? 

The Pennsylvania Evening Post

14. Which president first held a Fourth of July celebration at the White House?

Thomas Jefferson

15. Which country gained independence from the United States on July Fourth?

The Philippines did in 1946.

Via: International Business Times

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