Get ready to dust off that American flag, Texas! Governor Abbott just signed House Bill 2703 into law, and your July is about to become one big patriotic celebration. We’re talking parades, ceremonies, community BBQs, and enough red, white, and blue to make the Fourth of July jealous.
Starting right now, July is officially declared “American Patriotism Month” in Texas – and we’re the first state in America to make this official recognition.
What Just Happened Here
Think about it this way: July already had the Fourth of July doing all the heavy lifting for patriotic celebrations. Now the entire month gets to join the party. HB 2703 passed with the kind of numbers politicians dream about – 148 to 0 in the House and 31 to 0 in the Senate. When’s the last time you saw Texas lawmakers agree on anything that unanimously?
The law encourages communities across Texas to host ceremonies, parades, and activities that celebrate American values. Notice that word “encourages” – nobody’s forcing your neighborhood to throw a patriotic block party, but the state is basically saying “Hey, wouldn’t that be awesome?”
Who Gets the Spotlight
This isn’t just about fireworks and flag-waving (though there’ll be plenty of both). The law specifically honors some pretty incredible Americans:
The heavy hitters: Founding fathers who started this whole American experiment, plus the military veterans who’ve kept it going for nearly 250 years.
The space heroes: Those Apollo astronauts who planted American flags on the moon and made the whole world look up and say “How did they do that?”
The civil rights champions: Leaders who fought to make sure America’s promises of freedom applied to everyone, not just some people.
The everyday heroes: Americans who showed the world what resilience looks like after September 11th, turning tragedy into determination.
What This Means for Your Summer Plans
Your local community is about to get a lot more interesting this July. Expect your city council to start planning special events. Your kids’ summer camps might add patriotic themes. That veterans group down the street? They’re probably already planning something special.
And if you’re the type who loves community events, this is your golden ticket. Historical societies will host Revolutionary War reenactments. Libraries will feature American history displays. Local businesses might sponsor patriotic festivals that bring the whole neighborhood together.
The Deeper Question: What Is Patriotism, Really?
Here’s where things get interesting. Patriotism isn’t just about flag pins and pledge recitations – it’s about understanding what makes America work and being willing to participate in keeping it working.
Real patriotism means knowing your history, both the triumphs and the mistakes. It means voting in elections, serving on juries when called, and maybe even running for school board when you think you can do better. It’s about believing that America’s best days can still be ahead of us if we’re willing to work for them.
The beautiful thing about America has always been this: people come here from all over the world, bringing their own cultures and traditions, but they choose to become part of something bigger. That choice – to become American while keeping the best of where you came from – that’s patriotism in action.
What’s Really at Stake
Some people worry that patriotism is disappearing, especially among younger generations. But maybe the problem isn’t that people don’t love America – maybe it’s that we’ve forgotten how to show that love in ways that bring us together instead of driving us apart.
American Patriotism Month could be a chance to remember that patriotism isn’t about proving you’re more American than the person next to you. It’s about celebrating the fact that we’re all in this together, working to build something worth passing on to our kids.
Your Move This July
So what can you actually do with this new month-long celebration?
Start local: Attend a community event, even if you usually skip that stuff. You might be surprised by who shows up and what you learn.
Learn something new: Pick one American historical figure you’ve never heard of and spend an afternoon learning their story. Guarantee you’ll find someone fascinating.
Participate: Volunteer for a local charity, help with a community cleanup, or mentor a kid. Patriotism isn’t just about loving your country – it’s about making it better.
Connect: Have conversations with neighbors who see things differently than you do. Real patriotism includes the belief that we can disagree and still be on the same team.
The Bottom Line
Texas just gave us permission to spend an entire month celebrating what’s good about America. That’s not about pretending we’re perfect – it’s about remembering that we’ve overcome enormous challenges before and we can do it again.
Your July just got a whole lot more meaningful. The question is: how are you going to celebrate the country that gave you the freedom to celebrate it however you want?
Time to start planning those block parties, Texas. History is watching.
