Right. There’s a Folklife Festival on the Mall every summer, and calling it a “Festival of Festivals” wasn’t going to turn the annual festival into a special 250th event. Moreover, the Smithsonian is still a nest of progressives: for many years the festivals (which typically occur the week before the Fourth) have been full of leftist messaging about stolen land, indigenous peoples, and women being oppressed by the patriarchy. I last attended one about ten years ago: it was hot and boring, and parking was impossible. The Administration was correct not to entrust the 250th event on the Mall to the Smithsonian, which likes anti-American propaganda. “Stars were willing to perform” because progressives and Democrats refuse to respect and honor the nation as long as Trump is in the White House, but they would show up for the Smithsonian. We’re supposed to long for the participation of divisive assholes, who couldn’t be trysted not to shout “Fuck Trump!” or “Free Palestine” at the mic.

A typical response to my friend’s post: “Imagine what this could’ve been. Instead, Americans got Trump’s Fyre Festival-style “Great American State Fair” featuring sparse crowds, power outages, and a broken ride.” That’s fair: there was no festival at all with Fyre, so by definition the Great State Fair isn’t “Fyre-style.” Trump is responsible for the power outages (The event takes place in a Democrat-run city), and rides never break down at fairs. (My family was stuck hundreds of feet in the air when Expo ’67’s signature ride broke down.)

Meanwhile, eleven states, all with Democrats as governors, are boycotting the event: Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania. That’s the spirit.