No Kings, No Clue, All Clowns

My Fourth of July Message to Congressman Jamie Raskin

I spent Independence Day like a lot of Americans—on the beach in the Hamptons with friends and family, dodging political arguments, playing spikeball, and eating burgers slightly overcooked by my cousin David, who thinks grill marks are a personality trait. It was sunny, breezy, and proudly American. Flags were waving. Music was blaring. Somewhere, a bald eagle probably flew over us in slow motion while “Born in the U.S.A.” (which, if you pay attention to the lyrics, are anti-American as it gets) played on a Bluetooth speaker.

Meanwhile, Congressman Jamie Raskin—Maryland’s self-appointed conscience and perpetual MSNBC guest—was busy tweeting about his own Fourth of July “extravaganza,” which, from the looks of it, was part block party, part re-education camp, and part fringe theater parade. Instead of celebrating America’s birthday like a normal person—with fireworks and gratitude for 249 years of liberty—Raskin was preaching about “No Kings!” to a choir of already-converted democracy interns in Takoma Park.

Let me be clear: Jamie Raskin is the gift that keeps on giving—for every young conservative trying to explain to their progressive classmates why the left has jumped the shark. There he was on July 4, doing his best impression of a 1970s civics teacher who never quite got over Watergate, talking about how America is still in a battle to preserve democracy, as if the year is 1861 and he’s Paul Revere on a bike.

Look, Congressman Raskin, I get it. “No Kings!” sounds cool in a high school AP Government debate. But screaming “No Kings!” at a July 4 parade in Takoma Park isn’t brave. It’s branding. It’s politics-as-performance-art. It’s what happens when people mistake protest for patriotism. And in the process, they forget what we’re actually celebrating: not just what we rejected in 1776, but what we built in the aftermath.

See, the Founders didn’t just shout “No Kings!” and call it a day. They pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to create the greatest political experiment in human history—a constitutional republic grounded in liberty, limited government, and individual rights. That’s what the 4th of July is about. It’s not about cheap slogans or TikTok-ready marches. It’s about honoring the sacrifices that gave us the right to disagree in the first place.

But to folks like Jamie Raskin, it’s always July 3rd—perpetual pre-revolution, constant agitation, always fighting “the man,” even when they are the man. I mean, the guy is literally a tenured member of Congress. He’s not some grassroots activist being chased by redcoats. He’s a ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee who gets driven around by staffers in government vehicles. He’s about as “anti-establishment” as a Whole Foods CEO.

It’s telling that his version of celebrating America’s birthday didn’t involve even a cursory “God Bless America” or a salute to the troops. No flags. No reverence for the Founding. Just a bunch of pseudo-intellectuals yelling “No Kings!” like it’s some postmodern war cry for people who think Hamilton is a history textbook.

And can we talk about these so-called “Democracy Summer Fellows”? They sound like the kind of interns who write Medium essays titled “Why I No Longer Celebrate the Fourth of July” while sipping kombucha and tweeting “land back” from an iPhone made in China. Are these the people Raskin is banking the future of the Republic on? If so, we’re gonna need a lot more bald eagles and a few more founding documents.

Meanwhile, back at our Fourth of July BBQ, my little cousin Ellie—who’s 10—asked me why we were setting off fireworks. I told her it’s because almost 250 years ago, a bunch of guys in powdered wigs declared their independence from the British crown and fought a war for our freedom. She said, “Cool. America’s birthday,” and then went back to eating her popsicle. That’s the kind of instinctive patriotism Jamie Raskin and his parade float of progressive slogans seem determined to smother in guilt, qualifiers, and politically correct disclaimers.

America isn’t perfect. But name one country that has lifted more people out of poverty, invented more life-saving medicine, or welcomed more legal immigrants seeking a better life. Name one place where your rights are more secure, your voice more powerful, your dreams more possible. Spoiler: you can’t. There’s a reason people aren’t risking their lives to sneak out of America.

So here’s my Fourth of July message to Rep. Jamie Raskin: It’s OK to celebrate America without lecturing it. It’s OK to love your country without apologizing for it. And it’s OK to spend the day with people who don’t need to shout slogans to prove they care.

Next year, try joining the rest of us—on a beach, at a BBQ, or watching fireworks light up the sky. You might just rediscover what made this country great in the first place. You might even realize that “No Kings” doesn’t mean “No Country.”

But then again, I’m just some Gen Z kid from the Upper East Side with sand on his sneakers and ketchup on his American flag paper plate. What do I know?

At least I wasn’t spending my Fourth of July playing dress-up in a faux-revolution cosplay parade.

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Endnotes

  Raskin’s Tweet – On July 4, 2025, Rep. Jamie Raskin posted on Twitter/X:

“We had a star-spangled MD-8 Independence Day extravaganza celebrating with hundreds of true-blue friends and Democracy Summer Fellows in Takoma Park, Wood Acres, Somerset and Friendship Heights. We’ve got great people and No Kings!”
[Source: @jamie_raskin on Twitter, July 4, 2025]

  “No Kings!” Slogan Origins – The phrase “No Kings” became a progressive activist slogan in recent years, often adopted during rallies critiquing perceived authoritarianism or “imperial presidencies.” Ironically, it’s often shouted at a government formed explicitly to avoid monarchy.
[Source: The Atlantic, “The ‘No Kings’ Generation,” 2021]

  Democracy Summer Fellows – A program run by Rep. Raskin to train young activists in political organizing, with a focus on progressive causes. While noble in mission, the tone often leans more activist than civic-unity.
[Source: democracysummer.org]

  Constitutional Republic vs. Mob Rule – The Founders designed a constitutional republic, not a direct democracy, to avoid the volatility of mob rule. As James Madison warned in Federalist No. 10, democracies are “spectacles of turbulence and contention.”
[Source: Federalist Papers, No. 10, 1787]

  Legal Immigration & American Opportunity – Roughly 1 million immigrants legally become U.S. permanent residents each year, with tens of thousands naturalizing as U.S. citizens—often citing freedom and opportunity as core reasons.
[Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Annual Reports]

  Jamie Raskin’s Role in Congress – Raskin currently serves as Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee. He gained prominence during the Trump impeachments and January 6 hearings, further entrenching his position as a Democratic Party favorite on cable news.
[Source: Congress.gov | House Oversight Committee]

  Hamilton: The Musical as a Teaching Tool – Despite its popularity, scholars have debated the accuracy of Hamilton as a historical source. The show’s anti-monarchist themes have been embraced by progressive movements, sometimes to theatrical extremes.
[Source: Smithsonian Magazine, “What ‘Hamilton’ Forgets About Hamilton,” 2020]

  American Patriotism Polling – Despite cultural division, surveys show the majority of Americans still view the Fourth of July as a celebration of national pride, with over 70% displaying flags or attending patriotic events.
[Source: Gallup Poll, July 2024]

  TikTok & Gen Z Activism – Political activism among Gen Z has increasingly moved to platforms like TikTok, where soundbites often replace substance and performative protest goes viral more than civic engagement.
[Source: Pew Research Center, “Gen Z and Political Engagement,” 2023]

  The Hot Dog Debate – While traditional Fourth of July cookouts feature beef hot dogs, surveys show a small but vocal minority now prefers plant-based alternatives—especially in left-leaning, health-conscious enclaves like Takoma Park.
[Source: National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, 2024 Report]

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Jacob Silver, is a Contributor for Direct Line News can be contacted at Jacob.Silver@mcgopclub.com.

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