Independence Day: North Korea, NASA, Hollywood, Sheehan, Hunger Strikes and "Rolling Fasts"

By: Steve Yuhas

On Independence Day every year Americans across the country spend the day with family and friends, to eat and drink and take in fireworks to celebrate the birth of what has become the greatest nation in the world.

This year July 4th began with a bang at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the Space Shuttle Discovery took of in thunderous splendor on a mission that had been twice delayed because of weather.  Americans across the country lined the streets to watch as marching bands, Boy Scouts, veterans and other patriotic Americans and groups show their love for country and our men and women in uniform.

Another reality on this 4th of July is that in cities around the country people are being sent through metal detectors and bags being searched as thousands or hundreds of thousands gather to watch some of the many enormous fireworks shows in places like Washington, DC and Boston.

As this is being written North Korea has fired at least two missiles over Japan that landed in the Sea of Japan despite the fact that everyone from the United States to China told North Korea not to fire the missile that was feared: the Taepodong 2 that has the potential to reach much of the American mainland.

Then there are the men and women in uniform who are fighting for our nation all over the world including Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and in places that none of us would ever want to be - including guard posts in South Korea who would be the first casualties of any invasion in the world’s 2nd hottest spot in the world.  Who in America would not be so proud of these people to have them at their own barbeque if they found one standing alone in an airport?

There is a group of people who hold enormous contempt for these same people in uniform – a group that includes all of the same names and faces, but who come up with newer and newer ways to make fools of themselves.  The first person is well known in her contempt is now world famous after the unsuccessful and comedic camp out in front of President Bush’s ranch last summer – Cindy Sheehan.

Her Independence Day, the day our nation celebrates the values we share as a people: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, was filled with contempt and the contempt that others of her ilk feel toward our government and our troops.  They carry the mantra “we support the troops, but not the mission” around like a get out of jail free card won in a Monopoly game in order to show they are patriots when they are, in fact, little more than little helpers of insurgents and terrorists half a world away: their comments carried live on al-Jazeera and other Islamic television stations while we watch the triumph return to space of our astronauts.

More mind boggling are the ways in which Sheehan’s little band of anti-American cronies attempt to gain the attention that they long lost when she began representing the political party in America who shares them – the Democrats.  First it was to call for hearings into whether the President lied (he didn’t and if he had surely there would be more than one bill calling for his impeachment), second was to stage things that didn’t matter: campouts, vigils and marches where there are more counter-protestors than anti-Americans and now the newly dubbed “rolling fast” and “hunger strike” that allows people who participate to eat or not eat for a few hours or a day to show solidarity.

How inventive: say you’re on a hunger strike, but don’t actually stop eating – get some media attention and a return to 24 hour coverage and then, only when cameras are rolling, have someone cue you to faint.  Genius.

One protestor, Meredith Dearborn of Global Exchange (a nutty left wing group) told the “crowd” gathered to watch the announcement of the hunger strike and rolling fasts, “We are putting our bodies on the line for peace."  Really?  How are you doing that when you can eat during a hunger strike and only fast until you get hungry? 

That is neither a hunger strike nor a fast – using their definition EVERYONE is on a rolling fast since most of us fast until we are hungry again – it is called the time between breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Although some actors say that they will fast for 24 hours how will we know since they’ll be doing all of this fasting behind the huge gates of the mansions?

The point is this: symbolism over substance and a contrast in American and anti-American conduct – again.  There is truly a difference in the realities that we and the Sheehan ilk represent: in one camp are the people celebrating our freedom and nation while giving thanks to the military people who keep us free and agree or disagree with the war in Iraq – they are proud to be Americans. 

Then we have the people who fight and give us that freedom and I am proud to call myself a veteran every year as we celebrate the overworked and underpaid men and women who wake up every day with the intention of doing nothing except keeping us safe and the ideals of our Founding Fathers alive.

At the other end of the spectrum are the people nutty enough to challenge both groups and when it all boils down to 15 minutes of fame - they can’t even do that right.

We’ll have to see what happens with North Korea’s missile and the success of Discovery’s mission to space and we know that people are and will have fun on their 4th of July.  It seems that the only thing uncertain is exactly what it means to be on a hunger strike and how long we have to be rid of Cindy Sheehan forever.  She is using the word hunger strike and so are a few of her friends – could it be that she will soon go by way of other anti-American protestors and be lost forever?  One can hope.

It is a shame that her son lost his life for her to become a star, but how hopeful I am that Independence Day could actually mark the end of Cindy Sheehan and the people who are joining in her strike of food.  It is too bad that there is nobody in Hollywood actually doing the hunger strike part of this mission and have instead opted for “rolling fasts.”

It would be nice if some of Hollywood did join Cindy (a substantial part of Hollywood would be nice), but I really do suggest that at least Susan Sarandon join her Sheehan in the hunger strike portion of her quest for the toppling of the Iraq war.  Think about it – what a perfect ending to the Sarandon career: the movie Stepmom ended her life and in the world of Hollywood playing a role is as important as actually living it – actors are experts in the field of whatever role they play according to their frequent trips to Congress – so she is used to dying.

Sarandon died in Stepmom and with no chance of a sequel – let’s just say that she won’t be missed and as for the rest of anti-American Hollywood; just do an American Idol search for a pro-American action hero and we’ll find them all over the place – go to any restaurant (make sure it is not during a “rolling fast” – sometimes called lunch) and there they will be!

Replace the hunger strikers with them and we’ll replenish Hollywood with what it used to be full of: patriotic Americans who celebrated the 4th of July like everyone else – only in bigger houses and without any tofu or vegan, Buddhist, I wanna be a cricket when I come back to life BS that Hollywood is so full of today.

Happy 4th of July!

Steve Yuhas is a columnist and radio talk show host on KOGO AM 600 and may be reached at www.steveyuhas.com or steve@steveyuhas.com