Reflecting on American Democracy and Ideals

My name is Sanna Maldonado. I'm the founder of Yaoi, a gift shop on the lens of artists and handmade objects. I chose Shopify because when I was testing other platforms, it was definitely one of the most user friendly. It was important to me to think about where we would be in the future, all of the tools for reading your sales like planning inventory, they're just right there on your dashboard. For anyone starting a small business, the biggest thing I can tell you is it doesn't have to be perfect. Shopify can help you build upon it Start your free trial on Shopify. com As America reigns in its two hundred fiftieth anniversary, today we're reminded of some of the darkest times of our past White nationalists as we speak. are marching on Washington. White national is part of the Patriot Front Group. Hundreds of them took to the streets in Washington, DC today with a mask over their face hiding and cowardice from the people around them They march to reclaim the United States of America. That's a direct quote from them. spepewing anti immigrant, xenophobic and racist language, carrying Confederate flags on a day that has started as a dark reminder of our past It comes as the president is launching another red scare attacking communists promising to send them into quotes. E sign But today A day where we're supposed to be celebrating America's two fiftieth as started anything, but Make sure to like, comment, share, and if you can subscribe to my substack link below to support my work Right now, everyone needs to see this moment It's a powerful moment It's a moment that really reminds us of some of the darkest days in American history and how Those dark days may not be behind us I'm going to show you a video of hundreds of Patriot front members taking to the streets in Washington, DC today startarting at Union Station marching to the United States Capitol Your language Horrific must be condemned andnounced And they're cowards as they're wearing masks through it all The is sp ! R A Reclaim America They have Confederate flags and they're all wearing the same thing Khaki pants, this blue navy top And they're carrying flags trying to take control of the American flag trying to take control of the United States of America And I'm going to show you an image that I think is the most powerful image from today that every American needs to see. This image was taken by Reuters. The masked Patriot front members are on the DC Metro subway heading to March on our nation's capital sitting the only person in this subway car A bllack woman not masks sayaying in defiance. lookingoo straight ahead. lookingooking straight ahead. as people who want her rights completely gutted. probably don't even want her be allowed to be sitting on that subway car sit around her feeleing hate spewing division And she refused herer courage should not she't she shouldn't have to sit there She shouldn't have to sit in a subway cart full of white nationalists who want her rights taken away who want a country that won't allow her the ability to sit on that subway car And yet there she is There she is Every American needs to see this image today because on America's two hundred fiftieth anniversary This is what the United States of America woke up to. And it comes as we have a president right now reigniting a red scare calling on the exile of communists out of the United States of America So on the Eve Of this two hundred fiftieth anniversary of American Heritage We resolve and swear for all to hear that the citizens of the United States of America Well vanquish Communism quickly. Let them take too much of your time You know, they're wasting your time, don't you? But we're not going to let them take too long or T much of our time as they play their games and send them into exile. We will send them quickly away and we will continontued to build our country bigger and better and stronger than ever before. sending them into exile. And today a lot of people are asking, H. is America working for Is it for me Many say, no, here's what Gvernor Josh Shapiro from Pennsylvan I to say on this Iependence Day. We find ourselves at a moment in American history When the foundational ideals that this nation was founded on are under threat the chaos, cruelty and cororruption being injected into our democracy every day, are testing er very guardrails established by our founders twow and a half centuries ago But just as it was in seventeen seventy six American freedom is not the product of a single document were the result of a single man's actions It is the result eachach of us doing our part Rising up demanding more Union Today, on the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of our nation's independence We can take lessons from those came before us likeike the fifty six new Americans who stood here in this room Pennsylvania stateouse to declare their independence from a king setet in motion greatest experiment human governance world has ever seen Almost a decade later Their independence w George Washington sat here preside over the Constitutional Convention As the delegates drafted, debated, and eventually signed new U. S. Constitution on his chair was an engraving The sun onn the horizon throughroughout the convention Delegates here wondered whether that sun was in fact rising. to illuminate a new day. setting. Give way to darkness As the last delegates sign the Constitution Ben Franklin rose to address the room and gave his answer. He said I have the happiness to know. It is a rising not a setting sun. I share Franklin's optimism two hundred and fifty years after that first declaration was signed. through a civil war that threatened to tear us apart afterfter millions have marched and protested challenging us to combat injustice and live up to that founding promise that all people are creativity And in the face of chaos, corruption and distortion of our history around us that reminds us the work to realize our founding fathers's vision remains unfinished. Our sun still rises It rises because of the people I meet every day in Pennsylvania people who care for their neighbors stand up If we want the sun to still rise, as the governor says these images can't be in our nation any longer We cannot allow this hatred to take hold. As a journalist, I refuse to sugarcoat it. It is a dark time for many in the United States of America. This image exemplifies it all We cannot let those individuals full of cowardice and hatred R United States of America I'll have lot more updates for you soon, likeike, comment, share, subscribe to my Substack link below to support you soon. Hey folks, thanks so much for watching. Feel free to add this podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you watch or the latest breaking news and daily hits throughout the day Make sure to follow, subscribe, see you soon for more