Hug an American

Forget the Hug a Hoodie campaign, hug an American instead

Back for another non-Tableau entry, this time it really hit home just how bad Americans have it, or will have it in a years' time.

Its the 7th July 2025, and there are now just 362 days until the next 4th July celebration, you know the one, the date that saw the 13 American colonies finally break from “the British” to become their own independent nation, following the American Civil War to become the United States of America in 1776.

Think about everything that America has since achieved, the rise to super-power following World War 2, the controlling currency, a chief signatory of the United Nations, and the most powerful member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

Nations look to America to take a lead in politics, hoping it could step in to prevent catastrophic wars.

It has given us the emerging tech from Silicon Valley, Apple and Microsoft are both American, as is NASA.

And whilst it took important players from around the world such as the British scientists Tim Berners-Lee and Alan Turing et al, it really was American investments that gave us much of the modern world we have today, and take for granted.

Lets think for a moment just how the last 8 Presidents have helped to shape the modern world, and keeping the peace, though not without the threat and ever growing reach of the US military forces and weapons, yet still, this has only ever really remained as a threat, which is all the world needed really to peacefully move forward: the right-hand holds the sword, it is the strength of the honourable military, enough to put down any attempt to harm it or its allies, yet its left is not a shield but a wealth of tech, of the kind that every nation on earth has lapped-up. It has given us movies and TV of every genre many of which has helped shaped modern thinking, even if it was Ross Geller getting drunk and burning his hands on the ovenware - it’s gonna make you think twice - right?

The world had cars, and they were actually quite good for the age, yet most were hand built - enter Henry Ford and the production-line was born; and not just for cars either, but for all industry.

We had some semblance of communications, but just think what has been achieved with the advent of satellite communications.

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter, Sikorsky SH-3 Sea-King, and Lockheed (now Lockheed-Martin) C-130 Hercules, all designed for military engagements have been used more times for humanitarian and animal aid and rescue than any other vehicle, owing to their ability to both reach destinations that other vehicles including by foot cannot, and, to get there quickly enough to actually be useful.

The sheer volume of achievements that the United States has achieved in the last 249 years is insurmountable.

Next year - 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the formation of the United States. Two-hundred and fifty years. It should be a year of great significance, and it shall be, I’m sure of it.

But, and this is the problem, but, who shall be the man in charge?

Not Kennedy, nor Regan, nor Clinton, nor Obama.

The United States is about to reach its major milestone with the Jaffa Cake clown sitting in the White House.

So next time you see an American, spare a thought for them and their plight, and take a moment to hug them; they’re gonna need it