<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[A Life in Libraries]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[cbecker53]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com/author/cbecker53/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Independence Day?]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/file000394097831.jpg"><img loading="lazy" data-attachment-id="6060" data-permalink="https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/independence-day/file000394097831/" data-orig-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/file000394097831.jpg" data-orig-size="2059,3100" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 20D&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1124566147&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;68&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.5&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/file000394097831.jpg?w=199" data-large-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/file000394097831.jpg?w=680" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6060" src="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/file000394097831.jpg?w=199&#038;h=300" alt="" width="199" height="300" srcset="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/file000394097831.jpg?w=199&amp;h=300 199w, https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/file000394097831.jpg?w=398&amp;h=600 398w, https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/file000394097831.jpg?w=100&amp;h=150 100w" sizes="(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px" /></a>Look, I like fireworks as much as anybody (although I shouldn&#8217;t&#8211;they aren&#8217;t good for the <a title="fireworks" href="http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/a/toxicfireworks.htm" target="_blank">environment</a>), but I have to say I&#8217;m not very comfortable with the July 4 <a title="Fourth of July" href="http://icrindia.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/the-fourth-of-july/" target="_blank">emphasis</a> on militarism and American superiority.</p>
<p>When the rights of, and respect for, women, gay people, immigrants, minorities, people from other cultures, those living in poverty, and many other groups are compromised, it seems we could find better ways to spend July 4 than patting ourselves on the back.</p>
]]></html><thumbnail_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/file000394097831.jpg?w=199&fit=440%2C330]]></thumbnail_url><thumbnail_width><![CDATA[]]></thumbnail_width><thumbnail_height><![CDATA[]]></thumbnail_height></oembed>