The Fourth of July: It’s Not for You. It’s for US!

In 2017, after watching France’s Bastille Day parade, Donald Trump wanted his own parade. And, he said, we could “top [the French].” The military was against it. It would cost too much money and for what? It was to be Trump’s own personal victory parade.

Biding his time, in 2019, the president decided to turn our cherished and non-political July 4th celebration on the National Mall into one more suited to his ego. July 4th, the United States’ Independence Day, has traditionally been a non-partisan holiday, filled with parades, bands, and, of course, fireworks across the country. Instead, we will get a military flyover and military parade down Constitution Avenue, costing millions of dollars, crowned by a speech by Trump at the Lincoln Memorial.

The money spent on this event could be better spent on feeding and finding homes for the homeless, veterans, and asylum seekers on our border with Mexico. Veteran groups will be protesting by handing out John McCain t-shirts at his rally. Senator McCain has been vilified numerous times by Trump, even after he died. And, many in Congress are still waiting for the $7,300,000 the Trump Inauguration Committee still owes the government.

Donald, July 4th is about our country, a celebration of what America should be about. It’s about us; it’s not about you. And, I’m angry that has been taken away from all of us.

This poster is part of a series of posters Jeff Gates does under the guise of the Chamomile Tea Party. Often taking World War II-era propaganda, he remixes them with new text and imagery about the rancor so prevalent in American political discourse. Download a high resolution copy of this poster for free. Take it to the National Mall or your local celebration to let the president know how you feel. In fact, all Chamomile Tea Party posters are free to download under a Creative Commons license.

Follow the history of the last eight years of our country’s political intransigence through a six-part exhibit of these posters on Google Arts & Culture. Also, read writer and graphic designer, Steven Heller’s interview with Jeff Gates in Print magazine about the genesis of this work.