Independence Day, ignored

One of the most American traits of the GNC is the "Live and Let Live" mentality.  I noticed it as soon as I moved here.  Beyond a few fundamental rules, like paying your taxes and driving sober, you can pretty choose to live how you'd like -- mow your lawn or not, educate your kids at home or in public school (there's a lot of home schooling here), shoot firearms or fireworks in your backyard, socialize or not, it's up to you.

A great number of people have chosen to embrace this good old American freedom to the max.  In the GNC, we have at least three notable communities of substantial population - the Bruderhof Community, centered on Platte Clove Road, the Indian culture, meditation-oriented Peace Village, centered on Route 23A in Haines Falls, and the Hasidic Jewish community, centered in Tannersville, near Rip Wan Winkle Lake.  All these folks enjoy substantial privacy, interacting with the rest of us as they wish, and usually they wish not.  There is some interaction in the course of business, but not much.  As far as I can tell, there's no particular outward hostility shown toward any of the communities, though I have heard some resentment about their expertise at tax avoidance.

So, that is why is it so puzzling to me, as a relative newcomer to the GNC, that on July 4th, Independence Day, the day we celebrate the USA and all its history, ideals, freedoms and idiosyncrasies (hot dog eating contests, watermelon-pit spitting contests, beer-drinking beyond all reasonableness, etc.) that there was no representation at any event I attended by anyone recognizable from any of those three communities.  (Believe me, they're recognizable.) You would think that those who are enjoying the freedom to dis-associate from the rest of us would, at least on that one day, show their appreciation to the country that allows them this much latitude.

I'm not saying there should be fireworks over Peace Village or that the Bruderhof folks should dress in red, white and blue or that the Hasidim should eat hot dogs and ice cream on Main Street, but somehow, somewhere, shouldn't they participate a little to show their appreciation for the country that embraces "Live and Let Live" as a basic premise, which they enjoy so completely?

Even if it's expressed as G-d Bless America?