By Michael Hernandez
MOUNT RUSHMORE, SOUTH DAKOTA—President Donald J. Trump kicked off America’s Fourth of July celebrations at a festive event (despite protests) witnessed by 7,500 at the granite face of Mount Rushmore National Memorial located in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota. The 60-foot faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt are carved out of rock by sculptor Gutzon Borglum during a 14-year period from 1927-1941.
The “Shrine of Democracy” attracts more than two million visitors annually and the President used his July 3rd speech to condemn the “totalitarian behavior that is completely alien to American life” in which violent mobs have desecrating statues, monuments and memorials in cities throughout the nation.
“The cancel culture and shaming is completely alien to our core culture and values and has no place in the United States of America. This attack on our liberty must be stopped and will be stopped. This left-wing cultural revolution designed to overthrow the American revolution would destroy the civilization that has rescued billions from poverty, disease, and that has unified humans to new heights
President Trump acknowledge each of the Mount Rushmore presidents:
George Washington: “King George called him the greatest man of our age. We will love the father of our land. He will never be forgotten.”
Thomas Jefferson: He wrote “the greatest treasure of human history—the Declaration of Independence. The author of American freedom will never be abandoned by us.”
Abraham Lincoln: “The savior of our nation who issued the Emancipation Proclamation which led to the passage of the 13th Amendment will always be remembered.”
Teddy Roosevelt: He embodied “confidence into our national culture and identity. He pursued the American mission with overwhelming energy and zeal.”
“It is time for our politicians to remember the bravery of our American ancestors. It is time to plant our flag, to protect the greatest of all nations, the citizens of every race, of every city, in every part of our glorious land—to preserve our history, our heritage. We will not be terrorized. We will not be demeaned. We will not be intimidated by evil people. It will not happen.
“I love this country. I wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July. God Bless you. God bless your families. God bless our great military. God bless America!”
Earlier in the day, Keystone was the site of a protest involving 100-200 Lakota Sioux Indians who three hours ahead of the Mount Rushmore fireworks blocked Iron Mountain Road (Highway 16A) with their vans. This road leads to Mount Rushmore which is three miles away. The protesters were upset over the federal government not honoring the Treaty of 1868 which gave the Black Hills to the Sioux and resulted in a battle in 1890 in known as the Wounded Knee Massacre. The South Dakota National Guard were called in to assist local law enforcement in opening up the road.
President Trump was introduced by South Dakota’s Republican Governor Kristi Noem (the state’s first female governor elected in 2018) who was introduced by Mary (Harum) Hart (Miss South Dakota, 1970). Governor Noem also introduced U.S. Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt who also spoke. The evening featured a flyover by the Navy’s Blue Angels and ended with fireworks followed by the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Some 125,000 signed up to attend the event during a three-day registration with only 7,500 selected to participate.
WATCH PRESIDENT TRUMP’S THE FULL SPEECH:
Michael Hernandez, Co-Founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service; editor of the History Makers Report and founder of History Makers International—a community nonprofit serving youth and families in Ventura County, is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. He worked 25 years as a middle school teacher in Monrovia and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted by email at [email protected].
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