Ukrainian Independence Day parades: Compare & contrast

Whereas Ukraine put on a somber and patriotic Independence Day parade in Kyiv, in traditional national dress, without cursing or mocking anybody...

"Defiant Ukraine turns on military display"

... the terrorists and rebels in Donetsk garishly paraded Ukrainian POWs on the street to cheers of "fascists," "f-ing demons" and "faggots," then symbolically "washed" the street after them with a water truck:

"Kremlin-backed separatists humiliate Ukrainian army in Donetsk parade (VIDEO)."

UPDATE (08.25.2014): The forced march and intentional public humiliation of Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk was likely a war crime under the Geneva Conventions: "Donetsk POW March: When Is A Parade A War Crime?" 

The misled and brainwashed crowd in Donetsk was ready to tear their brothers apart like animals. 

Reconciliation in Eastern Ukraine will be a decades-long endeavor, but first Ukraine's victory there against Russian aggression must be secured.

Happy Independence Day to my Ukrainian friends!  You have suffered much already; may you endure till the end.  Glory to Ukraine!  Glory to the heroes!  Слава Україні -- Героям слава!

"Ukrainian Independence Day 2014: the long road to true Ukrainian independence"

July 4th, unions, and immigrant labor

According to Mr. Wikipedia, the 4th of July was not even a federal paid holiday until 1938.  John Adams predicted to his wife that July 2 would go down in history as "the great anniversary festival."  He died on July 4, just like Tom Jefferson and James Monroe, making it 3 POTUSes in a row.

Anyway, in light of our nation's birthday, Yves Smith at Naked Capitalism makes an interesting discussion of Big Business's support of immigration from 1890 to 1920 as a counterweight to pernicious unionization.

She suggest that instead we celebrate March 1, 1781, the signing date of the Articles of Confederation, or better yet, March 4, 1789, the signing date of the Constitution.

Nowadays, big business very quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) advocates for illegal immigration, or at least gaming the system of the U.S. temporary visa program, to employ cheap, no-benefits foreign labor.

It's funny how things change, and how they stay the same.

Why Don't Americans Take More Vacations? Blame it on Independence Day

By Yves Smith

July  , 2012 | Naked Capitalism

URL:  http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2012/06/why-dont-americans-take-more-vacations-blame-it-on-independence-day.html