America’s 250th birthday feels more like a funeral.
The lack of enthusiasm most recently presented itself when musicians set to play in the Great American State Fair concert series this summer withdrew, pointing to the polarizing and political nature of the event that had, in their words, been sold to them as a nonpartisan and neutral celebration of America. Country music singer Martina McBride wrote as much on social media, stating that the invitation to perform at a “nonpartisan” event “turned out to be misleading.”