This 4th of July marked the 248th Independence Day for America. A gathering of the very savvy, intelligent men drafted and signed the core of our democracy, the Constitution. With all the festive gatherings and celebratory fireworks, we are reminded of how fundamental the tenets of this document are for our daily freedoms – something which I took advantage of prior to my time in Morgantown. Notably, this week had significant and complex decisions from the Supreme Court: a president’s immunity from prosecution, arbitrary interpretation of policies as laws, social media’s extension of free speech, etc. The importance of these decisions reflects how the Constitution applies to the intricacies of daily life for all Americans, even if the demonstrative decisions seem like an awful advanced lesson in some foreign language. Far from perfect are inflation, social security, healthcare, border security, crime; yes, many citizens struggle but have opportunities and resources. Overall, the structure of our system works, which voted representatives strive for its betterment and protected by the lives of both civil servants and national forces even when our own ideologies polarize…but these differences collectively make America amazing for our freedoms.
Like last year, I was able to see a quarter of the City of Morgantown’s fireworks show and hear a few of their booms. The holiday meal was exceptional: quartered BBQ chicken, juicy hotdogs, baked mac/cheese, sweet baked beans, creamy potato salad, tangy pasta salad, a box of ice cream sandwiches (they were expired which is why we received a whole box), and two delicious homemade sugar cookies. Unlike the last holiday meal for Juneteenth, this one was reminiscent of a good ol’ American cookout. Over the last few weeks, there have been an influx of inmates matriculating from other prisons. Their overall impression has been how delicious the food has been for which I remain grateful to receive three well-balanced hot meals every day.
With the 4th of July holiday on Thursday, I had no work on Thursday and Friday – so a 4-day holiday weekend. These long weekends actually drag longer since our recreation area is closed in the evenings, which is during the time when the band practices except for a concert. The official band of Morgantown prison camp, Another Day Down, played its first full concert for ‘Merica’s birthday. We played 16 songs, like La Bamba, No Woman No Cry, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, Wagon Wheel, Bright Lights (Matchbox 20), and What I Got (Sublime). The show went exceptionally well and had a large audience of nearly 100 guys, despite the surprise popcorn that was served. In addition to the concert, we had holiday Bingo, which also had a large turnout. Fortunately, the weather has been incredibly hot and muggy for some very competitive and sweaty pickleball.
I hope your holiday was joyously memorable, and the long weekend relaxing. Thank you for your continued support and taking the time to look through this blog entry. Have a wonderful week – stay cool and hydrated 🙂 and continue to look for any little miracle in your daily life!