Today is often called America’s birthday, which is correct on so many levels, but yet not enough—because it is our birthday as well: yours, ours, the guy next door, the kid dribbling the soccer ball in the field, and the nice lady who delivers your mail. We are all Americans, and today is our holiday.

By luck, the Czar just happened to speak with a person from India who became an American citizen a couple months back. She had lived in America for several years on a visa before realizing, as she more or less put it, she felt more at home here than anywhere else in the world. She lived in South Africa during the 1980s, where she saw what it was like to live in a “free” society that was anything but. She spent years in other countries that were technically free, and those were great…but arriving here, she realized she fit in here better than anywhere else in the world. There is a different level of freedom here that you can almost touch.

We wished her a happy First Indendence Day. At first, she was confused, but realized the sobering truth: she had witnessed many Independence Days during her stay here, but this was first time she would be participating in one as a free citizen. Heck, she was finally on the guest list! And trust the Czar here: our country is lucky to have her.

Instead of the usual internet admonishment to Thank a Vet, or Take Nothing for Granted, or Take a Moment to Do Something or Other, the Czar will be a little blunt this year.

This year, and especially the next, will be difficult for millions of Americans. So many of us are out of work, out of time, and out of options. You already know that financially, we are in a state as bad as (and by some measures worse than) the Great Depression. We finally know for certain that there are people out there working to undermine our liberty, and many more people expecting to profit from that downfall. We know their names, their intentions, and their partnerships.

And they are now playing defense, which is something they hate to do. As a result, things are likely going to get very ugly: in movies, television, newspapers, books, magazines, college courses, labor meetings, school rooms, court rooms, congresses, church pulpits, and more, there will be a serious, offensive push to the left. They thought they finally won in 2008, but America has been resisting. Resistence is something the left cannot tolerate.

So the admonishment for this Independence Day is to be up to the job. Americans need to be ready to do something, and it is not difficult. Vote out the leftists wherever they pop up. This means independents should not vote for Democrats out of habit, but it also means that we should not simply vote for the comfortable Republican alternative. Instead, look carefully at your candidates and pick the one most close to your opinions. 2012 may have the most important primaries of the last few generations for telling your party what sort of American you want to be.

Go see movies or watch television shows that promote your values, instead of letting Hollywood dictate what you should think. Skip those that alienate you: hit them in the wallet. Teach your kids to stand up for themselves: make sure you know what messages they are hearing in school, and get them ready for the leftist onslaught at college. Remind them that an open mind is great, as long as you don’t let anyone pour whatever they want into it. If you know you’re being lied to, you can withstand nearly any indoctrination.

Instead of merely thanking a veteran, a police officer, a fireman, or volunteer for what they do for you, go out and do something for yourselves this year. The tide is turning for America, and you—more than any other person you know—have a say as to which way she will turn.

Happy 235th. We need a happier 236th, and it will be your job to get us there. And there may be some heavy lifting involved—that’s okay, because as an American, nobody lifts heavier loads than you do.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.