250 years is a long time, and since the National Celebration was botched, and controlled television didn’t want to show it, the crowds of twelve people heading for the exit, I felt we should do something to remember the day.

Kristina said so too, and Joanne Freeman, a historian she follows, mentioned her tradition of watching the musical about John Adams called “1776,” so we took Joanne’s advice and watched it on the 4th of July, comparing it to the Paul Giamatti mini-series about John Adams, enjoying the campy songs, and generally deciding it was a fun and worthy addition to the July 4th lore.

A couple days later, we looked at the TV listings and saw they were also showing “Born on the Fourth of July.“

I had never seen the movie, don’t ask me why, since I was living then (the time of the movie, not the original Declaration. I’m not that old, and don’t look it, do I?)

So we put it on and right away I knew it was a landmark. Oliver Stone directed and co-wrote with Ron Kovic who lived it. Tom Cruise was the star, looking younger than usual, and acted like it was his story.

I was living at the time in question, and I cried in memory.

There have been movies that show the horrors of war. They counter the propaganda for war. They are propaganda for peace.

I, a Charter Member of Poets for Peace, still say that if we knew real war, we would end it.

Why, oh why, have we not?

All the reasons are insufficient to convince.

Human beings, we, by our nature, are fashioned to transcend. We can think. We can aspire.

Those who espouse war are less than human. Humans know better.

It is our job, as humans, to help the less-than-humans take the next step up and join us.

We can share food of quality to awaken the palate. Once we taste the range, we have risen a step.

We can train the ear to hear music of elevating beauty. It has been said that the symphony orchestra is the greatest of human inventions.

We can sit with others and find common ground.

We can all love life and postpone death.

We can read the Declaration and the Constitution. We can fix things.

In so many ways, we were all born on the Fourth of July.