DEFEAT FASCISM

 As the news of a great American victory at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania seeped across America 162 years ago today, another, some say even more important, event occurred some 1,000 miles away at Vicksburg, Mississippi. There, after a five-month campaign and a siege of 47 days, General John C. Pemberton surrendered the city and 30,000 rebel troops to a United States Army under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant.

This opened the Mississippi River to traffic and separated the insurrectionist states of Arkansas and Texas from their eastern counterparts.

President Abraham Lincoln observed, "The Father of Waters again goes unvexed to the sea"

The campaign to capture Vicksburg resulted in 48,000 killed, wounded, captured, or missing, counting both sides. The three-day battle at Gettysburg resulted in as many as 51,000. But on July 4, 1863 the dreams of two separate nations, instead of one, had faded.

Freedom isn't free. That makes it even more precious.

EPIPHANY OF THE DAY

 THE FOURTH

Today is the Fourth of July and it creates competing feelings. First is respect and reverence for an experiment that began as a glorious way of government for a few, one that we have grudgingly expanded to include the rest of its citizens.

Until now.

Next, a sort of selfish feeling of gratitude that I was one of the Americans fully able to appreciate the largess of its democracy.

Then, a sort of begrudging sense of pride that I sacrificed four years of my life in thanks for the opportunities that America provided me.

Also, a feeling of loss as I ponder what the next four years will bring.

And finally, a bewildering sense of wonder as to whether I would have given those four years had I known that so many Americans would someday worship at the table of a cult led by the likes of Donald Trump.