A classic. Skelton points out that two states had been added to the union since his grade school teacher explained the meaning of the Pledge to him, and two words: under God. Maybe it’s time to add three more words: sovereign and independent.

When Evann and I moved to St. Louis in 1995, we first looked for housing in the Collinsville, Illinois area, where her father lived, but wound up settling on the west side of St. Louis, near the Missouri River. I’m wishing now that we lived in Illinois, because I’d love to be able to vote for a gubernatorial candidate like Dan Proft. His announcement of his candidacy last week is startling in its brazen honesty. The problem in Illinois, says Proft, is not that things are broken, but that things are “fixed.” Corruption, pure and simple. Whether you live in Illinois or not, you will enjoy watching this video (4 parts of five minutes each).

Celebrate Independence Day at the Taxed Enough Already (TEA) party rally in your community.

INDEPENDENCE DAY
All the fireworks exploding on high,
Celebrating the Fourth of July,
Symbolize how we fought
For that world-changing thought:
If we cannot live free, we shall die.
2008

REVOLUTION REVERIE
I attend every fireworks show
With the spirits of men you may know:
General Washington,
Thomas Jefferson,
Adams, Madison, and Monroe.
2006

ANTHEM FELLOW
With Bates, Berlin, and Key,
I salute this “land of the free,”
This “land that I love . . .
With the light from above,”
Stretched “from sea to shining sea.”
2002

FLAG POLL
As a gift for every descendant
In a Pledge of Allegiance amendment,
Would it be permissible
After “indivisible”
To add “sovereign and independent”?
2001

With the success of the anti-tobacconists, every conceivable kind of business could suddenly find itself liable, retroactively, for alleged risks dreamed up by unscrupulous lawyers and their conniving clients. Litigation itself could prove hazardous to our health, and to the health of our free enterprise system. Do we really want to be a nation of victims, a nation of petulant children? This is what we will become if we keep refusing to accept responsibility for our actions. Life is full of risks. The only way to avoid them all is not to get out of bed in the morning, and then you run the risk of muscular atrophy. People make mistakes; it’s part of being human. Some people acknowledge them; some blame others. The ones who accept responsibility are called adults. – “Random Thoughts on Responsibility,” F.R. Duplantier

As much as you may love your parents, would you want to move back home again and be treated like a child? Most people would answer no, but many of those who would are perfectly content to have the government take care of them — and treat them like children. With freedom comes responsibility. Let someone relieve you of your responsibilities and they will soon usurp your freedom. Be a man. Be a woman. Not a victim. Not  a child.

Do this! Don’t do that! Eat this repulsive vegetable. Stay away from that tantalizing pastry. Don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t enjoy any unauthorized pleasure. Don’t make value judgments. Don’t confuse us with facts and logic. Do what you’re told. It’s for your own good. Wear your seatbelt, wear your helmet, wear a pink ribbon. Smile! Nag, nag, nag. Know-it-alls and busybodies everywhere. Aren’t you sick of them? – “Random Thoughts on Guardianship,” F.R. Duplantier

Get used to being told what to do. Our government is going to take better and better care of us in the years ahead.

Feel free to publish, post, or pass on Your Weekly Politickle by F.R. Duplantier:

REELECTION RECIPE
Take a crony-claimed “stimulus” stash
And an influx of overseas cash
(Use to cover expenses);
Add an ACORN-cooked census
For an edge in the 2012 clash.

From the archive:

MIGHTY HOAX
Assigning bailout blame
Can be a cryptic game,
One must be deft,
Read on the left:
Now you know the name.
(2008)

RIGHT FROM HUANG
How can you help but adore
A guy with the gall of Al Gore?
He admits to no wrong
Taking money from Huang,
Then swears that he’ll do it no more.
(1997)

Last week’s limerick:

FATHER TIME
Twenty years ago I lost my dad
And the loss to this day makes me sad,
But I’m glad he was there
In my formative years
And can cherish the time that we had.

Mass times and readings

Peace to you and your lovely family! Some times you make me laugh. Today you made me reflect, on my own dad. You dads are awesome. Thanks for what you do. You are “what’s right with America” (the name of my next book). My cap is off to you. — Fathiyyah

This was a good week for feedback. Got the note above from one of my favorite longtime subscribers, in response to the Father’s Day limerick I sent out Monday:

FATHER TIME
Twenty years ago I lost my dad
And the loss to this day makes me sad,
But I’m glad he was there
In my formative years
And can cherish the time that we had.

And this note came in from another longtime subscriber, who’d fallen off my list in January after changing email addresses:

Am I still on your list? Or have you quit posting them? The last one I received was in January. I enjoy them so well, I hate to not receive them any more. — Odell

Odell is back on the list, and catching up on missed Politickles in my 2009 archive.