Last night the skies above America sparkled momentarily with colorful light.
The forever light show twinkled only a few feet above the Earth.
As with most Fourth of Julys, I avoided the oohing and ahhing crowds craning their necks skyward at fireworks shows in cities and small towns everywhere.
Watching from what’s left of our small fruit farm, in the middle of what used to be the country, I could see and hear my neighbor’s backyard bombs bursting in air off in the distance. So far away the pyrotechnics only peeked above the horizon.
Closer to me, quietly filling the air, thousands of fireflies shone even brighter.
Every summer at dusk, the fireflies celebrate their independence. Dancing soundlessly in the breeze. Floating aimlessly, it seems, in some sort of mating ritual dating back eons.
It’s mesmerizing. And achingly beautiful in its silent simplicity.
As a child growing up on our farm there weren’t any fireflies, at least none that I recall. Perhaps they were forgotten or overshadowed by the boyish thrill of lighting firecrackers or throwing cherry bombs.
Or perhaps there were just fewer of them because of the deadly pesticides we used to protect our crops and our livelihood.
The farm isn’t worked anymore, and today’s pesticides are less harmful, so the fireflies are flourishing again, burning brightly in my brain.
They remind me of things past.
Like something President H.W. Bush said in 1988 about a “thousand points of light.”
It was a clumsy attempt at inspiration by a patrician-like politician — concocted by a speech writer — that fell flat because Bush didn’t sound sincere.
But the idea of a “thousand points of light” wasn’t a bad one, the idea that America’s strength comes from individual liberty. Bush, of course, used the image to promote smaller government and volunteerism, part and parcel of conservative philosophy.
The general idea of a more efficient, less intrusive government and Americans helping each other should appeal to everyone, regardless of their politics.
But today’s conservatism, perverted by Donald J. Trump’s MAGA mania, represents “a thousand points of darkness.”
Less intrusive government or no government at all when it comes to regulating polluters and Big Business. More intrusive government or overly invasive government when it comes to sexual identity and immigration.
Government growing darker and darker by the day. Forcing Americans to rely more and more on each other just for sheer survival and struggle to maintain our individual liberties.
Celebrating our independence this year somehow felt different. All the fireworks in China couldn’t illuminate the shadow Trump and his mindless followers have cast over the land on this Fourth of July.
And so, all that’s left is the thousands of fireflies to brighten the night.
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Bill Dalton is a former reporter and editor for The Kansas City Star. His new book “Dalton’s Bend” is available from Amazon Kindle Books.