As the United States prepares to celebrate her 249th birthday, a growing number of Americans say they’ve noticed a marked decline in patriotism.
More specifically, 44% of respondents in an <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/5379913-44-percent-say-us-becoming-less-patriotic-survey/">Economist/YouGov survey</a> published this week said they believe the U.S. is becoming less patriotic. In comparison, a much smaller 14% said they think the nation is becoming more so.
Jesse Parks, a former U.S. Army Sergeant who served in Afghanistan, has noticed this shift in attitude.
“[Seeing] flags being burnt and seeing protests being more frequent,” Parks told the Daily Wire, “it tears down the country.”
Born into a military family, Parks said he was inspired to follow in the footsteps of those who came before him.
“All my uncles, dad, older brother, served. Everybody,” he said.
Parks initially applied to serve in the United States Marine Corps, but his application was rejected. Undeterred, he enlisted later in the United States Army, where he was accepted and rose through the ranks.
When asked why he enlisted, Parks said, “I think you join the military to fight for your country. It opens up a lot of doors, but in the end, you fight.”
He was deployed to Afghanistan in December 2010, where he said his unit’s primary mission was to train and advise the Afghan National Army Basic Training Command Teams, alongside the British and French Armies. He later became an infantry fire team leader.
Parks said that patriotism was a major factor in his decision to join the armed forces. He described it as “a love of your country put into action, whether that&#8217;s military, that&#8217;s political, or that&#8217;s civil service.”
But what is “patriotism” anyway?
“Patriotism” <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patriotism">is often defined</a> as a “love for or devotion to one’s country.”
Yet, a growing number of Americans say they don’t see a shared sense of admiration for the country they call home. Lightning rod political issues ranging from abortion to illegal immigration, along with a major political realignment that has seen the Democratic Party lurch harder to the left and the Republican Party lurch harder to the right, have revealed a simmering disunity.
“[Patriotism is] a big part of what allows us to progress,” Parks said. “It is what kind of helps us progress as a society. We don&#8217;t all have to have the same views, but as long as we have patriotism, which is different than nationalism, as long as it&#8217;s there, it allows us to progress.”
<h3><a href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a></h3>
While Parks has an expressed love of country, his may not be a shared passion: only 67% of people claim to be extremely or very proud to be American, down from 91% in 2004, according to a 2024 <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/646655/american-pride-remains-near-record-low.aspx">Gallup</a> survey.
A separate <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/646655/american-pride-remains-near-record-low.aspx">Marist</a> poll likewise found a majority of Americans have noticed this shift, with 52% of respondents stating that the country seems less patriotic than it was just a few years ago.
The disunity and decline may feel all the more evident with the recent riots and attacks on first responders.
“[T]here has been a perversion of patriotism,” Parks told the Daily Wire.
“Groups like Antifa seem like they don&#8217;t care about this country and want to tear it down,” he said. “January 6 was similar; it was a movement to dismantle the country. It is seen on both sides.” 
Rather than being complicit in this division, Parks said, groups such as Antifa should “consider the opportunity they have in this time in history to affect the country’s direction, and to act accordingly in a constructive manner.”
Despite all of this, the Army veteran sees hope for the future.
“There is a lot of talk about division in the country at the moment, but I don’t think that is anything new,” Parks said. “I hope people will get involved over the issues they think are important.”
Participation “will increase their sense of pride and reignite a love for their country.”
* * *
Simon Olech is a reporter studying journalism at the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Hands holding American flag in a wheat field at sunset. Independence Day, 4th of July.

Americans Say Patriotism Is Fading. One Army Veteran Is Pushing Back With Steely-Eyed Optimism

4th of July

Fourth of July

interview

Opinion

U.S. Army

U.S. Military

United States

Former President Donald Trump released a 4th of July message on Thursday, dropping the hammer on President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and special prosecutor Jack Smith.
Trump, who was widely viewed as the winner of the first presidential debate last week, has remained relatively quiet while Biden attempts to assure allies and voters that he has the mental and physical stamina to continue his re-election campaign. Trump released his 4th of July statement hours after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-torches-old-broken-down-pile-of-crap-biden-hes-quitting-pathetic-kamala-harris-up-next" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaked video</a> of the former president calling Biden an &#8220;old, broken down pile of crap&#8221; went viral on social media.
&#8220;Happy Fourth of July to all, including to our highly incapable &#8216;President,&#8217; who uses Prosecutors to go after his Political Opponent, who choked like a dog during the Debate but tried to pretend it was &#8216;International Travel&#8217; (only 12 days rest!) and, when that gig was up, he blamed it on a &#8216;cold.&#8217; Therefore, why would anyone say he’s cognitively challenged?&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112729384937320696" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social.
&#8220;Also, respects to our potentially new Democrat Challenger, Laffin’ Kamala Harris,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;She did poorly in the Democrat Nominating process, starting out at Number Two, and ending up defeated and dropping out, even before getting to Iowa, but that doesn’t mean she’s not a &#8216;highly talented&#8217; politician! Just ask her Mentor, the Great Willie Brown of San Francisco. Someone else that I have to compliment is a Deranged Biden Prosecutor named Jack Smith, who has become a Legend in his own mind for all of those cases he has lost. The Corrupt Prosecutors are working hard for Crooked Joe, but it will never be enough — MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
Trump is celebrating a string of recent victories, including last week&#8217;s debate and the Supreme Court&#8217;s ruling that gave him immunity from prosecution for official acts as president, a decision that will likely delay his Washington, D.C., trial past the election. Following Biden&#8217;s poor debate performance, Trump has also seen a boost in the polls. The <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/president/general/2024/trump-vs-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest polls</a> from New York Times/Siena and The Wall Street Journal give him a six-point lead over Biden nationally.
The next few days could be vital for Biden&#8217;s re-election campaign as he seeks to recover from what he acknowledged was a poor debate performance. Biden is set to deliver remarks at the White House to a group of veterans and their families on Independence Day, and ABC News will release a pre-taped interview between anchor George Stephanopoulos and the president Friday evening, which is Biden&#8217;s first interview since the debate.

Donald Trump

Trump Releases 4th Of July Statement, Slams ‘Highly Incapable President,’ ‘Laffin’ Kamala Harris

Trump Releases 4th Of July Statement, Slams 'Highly Incapable President,' 'Laffin’ Kamala Harris

2024 Election

Elections

Jack Smith

Joe Biden

Kamala Harris

Politics

Last July 4th seemed like the least patriotic birthday America has ever had. In many cities, parades were dismal or non-existent, fireworks were banned, and the American flag was hard to find. 
Once the world’s most powerful symbol of triumph, it has been torn down by Americans who believe it is instead a bigoted reminder of a hateful history. With the immense power that 2024 holds on the future of this national divide, it is imperative to remind each American citizen why the colors of our flag are still worth celebrating.
America has defined freedom for 248 years. She has fought against oppression and regulation, against tyranny and evil. She has defended the liberties of speech and religion, the gifts of open trade and innovation, the rights of life and innocence, and the ability to not only pursue happiness, but to define it for oneself. America has sent her own men to fight for not only the freedom of her citizens, but also for that of strangers.
Freedom is the American identity. It is the pride in this identity which wraps itself in another word: Patriotism. This spirit has endured every challenge of our nation’s lifetime. Patriotism fortifies delicate liberty. “A republic, if you can keep it;” her strength must be ceaselessly reinforced.
But patriotism, it seems, has gone out of style. In its place has emerged a form of tyranny disguised in a quintessentially American shade of blue. A record low number of Americans are proud to be American.
The so-called ‘fight for freedom’ has begun to rot its own definition.
The misuse of these words is changing our national identity. A fight for freedom is not a fight for rights, as the Left has decided to define it. Many aspects of the American life are freedoms, not rights. Education is a freedom, not a right. The ability to choose which doctor to go to is a freedom, not a right. When the government tries to make something a right, it steals whatever freedom it began with. Forcing businesses to hire people based on their skin color takes away the mechanisms which allow them to thrive and grow. No one has a right to be hired. Rather, everyone has the freedom to seek out employment and do whatever is so required to be a desirable employee. The excellence of America lies where these freedoms meet. The freedom to pursue excellence is what it means to be an American.
To risk true freedom in an effort to establish the rights of some is a step proven dangerous by history. French philosopher and judge Montesquieu declared that “the liberty of one citizen is of greater importance to the public than the ease or prosperity of another.”
If we preserve special treatment for some, we take it away from others. Montesquieu reminds us that the only true freedom comes from liberty. No one has a right to success or special privilege, but true freedom provides everyone with the chance to try. Patriotism has always been the glue of America, and it still comes in all three colors. Neither red, nor white, nor blue is more important than the others. Together, they preserve freedom. Divided, they cannot stand. Today, our flag is still flying. That is enough to invoke celebration and pride. Every casket it has ever draped demands as much.
America is the only country in the world to which people choose to move. They risk their lives and leave their families in a bid to buy into the world’s greatest pursuit of liberty. To live as an American is to live with the freedom to become anything. That is a freedom worth celebrating.
For all the talk about privilege in this country — white privilege, male privilege, hetero-privilege — let us not forget that being an American is the greatest privilege of all.
* * *
Elsie Halvorsen is a recent graduate of Harvard College, class of 2024.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Usa Celebration With Hands Holding Sparklers And American Flag At Sunset With Fireworks

The Greatest Privilege Of All

Bill of Rights

Founding Fathers

Freedom

Patriotism

Readers Pass

White Privilege

A significantly higher percentage of Republicans say they are &#8220;extremely proud&#8221; to be American compared to Democrats and independents, according to <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/646655/american-pride-remains-near-record-low.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> results released just two days before Independence Day.
The Gallup poll, which surveyed U.S. adults from June 3-23, shows that 59% of Republicans say they are &#8220;extremely proud&#8221; of their national identity, which remains near record-low numbers. Only 34% of Democrats and 36% of independents said the same, which is up slightly from last year for both demographics, according to Gallup.
The gap between Republicans and Democrats in expressing pride in America has closed in the past five years. Republicans&#8217; pride in their country has dropped from 76% to 59%, while Democrats&#8217; pride in America has risen from 22% in 2019 to 34% in 2024. The Gallup results show that that gap began to close toward the end of former President Donald Trump&#8217;s term in office and throughout President Joe Biden&#8217;s first term.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A majority of U.S. adults (67%) are extremely or very proud to be an American.
Republicans are uniquely patriotic, with 59% versus 36% of independents and 34% of Democrats reporting they are extremely proud to be American.
Full story: <a href="https://t.co/cwbRVLEZPJ">https://t.co/cwbRVLEZPJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/FnzK85wcVz">pic.twitter.com/FnzK85wcVz</a>
— Gallup (@Gallup) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gallup/status/1808864484938653940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Gallup&#8217;s latest survey results show a stark contrast in how Republicans, Democrats, and independents felt about being American 20 years ago. In 2004, 82% of Republicans, 65% of independents, and 60% of Democrats said they were &#8220;extremely proud&#8221; to be American. Republicans have maintained a higher sense of pride in their national identity than Democrats and independents since the turn of the century.
&#8220;Americans’ national pride was highest after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, when patriotism surged in the U.S.,&#8221; Gallup wrote. &#8220;Extreme pride has been trending downward since 2015.&#8221;
&#8220;While the percentage of U.S. adults who say they are extremely proud to be American is near the lowest point on record, about two-thirds continue to be at least very proud,&#8221; Gallup added. &#8220;Republicans’ national pride, though near its lowest point, remains high compared with Democrats’ and independents’, although all party groups are significantly less proud than they were 20 years ago.&#8221;
According to the survey, 18% of U.S. adults say they are &#8220;moderately proud&#8221; to be American, 10% say they are &#8220;only a little&#8221; proud, and 5% say they are &#8220;not at all&#8221; proud.
Another Gallup <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/646643/june-economic-confidence-stable-low.aspx?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=o_social&amp;utm_term=gallup&amp;utm_campaign=x-news-eci_070324" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> taken over the same time period showed that Americans have an overall negative view of the current economic conditions. Forty-eight percent of respondents said economic conditions in the U.S. are &#8220;poor,&#8221; 28% said they are &#8220;only fair,&#8221; and only 25% said they are &#8220;excellent/good.&#8221; Nearly 70% of Americans said they believe the economy is &#8220;getting worse,&#8221; and 26% said it&#8217;s &#8220;getting better.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
25% of Americans describe current U.S. economic conditions as “excellent” or “good,” up three points from May.
However, the percentage rating conditions “poor,” now 48%, also increased slightly, blunting positive movement in the index
ECI update: <a href="https://t.co/8vEW9AFKKk">https://t.co/8vEW9AFKKk</a> <a href="https://t.co/FMdkqFphCf">pic.twitter.com/FMdkqFphCf</a>
— Gallup (@Gallup) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gallup/status/1808609210638139463?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fourth of July celebrations in Illinois

Most Republicans ‘Extremely Proud’ To Be American Compared To Just 1/3 Of Dems, Independents: Poll

Most Republicans 'Extremely Proud' To Be American Compared To Just 1/3 Of Dems, Independents: Poll

America

Gallup

General

Poll

U.S.

Some July 4th traditions endure better than others. We’ll always have fireworks, parades, and family picnics, it seems. But there was also a time when presidents offered eloquent speeches on America’s birthday — ones aimed at fostering unity and gratitude. And who can deny we could use more of that in such fractious times?
Sure, few of us would clamor for another presidential speech. But in an age where we’re losing a sense of who we are and the significance of our heritage, it’s a tradition worth renewing, especially with our 250th anniversary on the horizon.
<a href="https://www.vindicatingthefounders.com/library/electric-cord-speech.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Both Abraham Lincoln</a> and <a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-the-celebration-the-150th-anniversary-the-declaration-independence-philadelphia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Calvin Coolidge delivered</a> particularly notable July 4th speeches. In his opening, Coolidge noted that, “It is to pay our tribute of reverence and respect to those who participated in such a mighty event that we annually observe the fourth day of July.” The event, of course, was the birth of a new nation.
It’s all too easy to forget the remarkableness of the deeds done, the selflessness of the risks taken, and the magnitude of the accomplishments of our Founding Fathers. General George Washington defeated the most formidable military in the world. The Constitution was the “miracle of Philadelphia,” and remains the oldest written constitution in existence. Such undertakings were assumed for the benefit of not only those first Americans, but their posterity.
The issuance of the Declaration of Independence was still more noteworthy. As Coolidge explained, “It was not because it was proposed to establish a new nation, but because it was proposed to establish a nation on new principles, that July 4, 1776, has come to be regarded as one of the greatest days in history.” The Declaration put forth the revolutionary idea that no human being is born to rule over others absent their consent. That idea makes each American the fortunate inheritor of a unique trust: a nation committed to self-government.
<div id="attachment_759175" style="width: 748px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-759175" class="size-large wp-image-759175" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-104560161-738x576.jpg" alt="Grace Coolidge (1879-1957), First Lady of the United States, United States President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), the wife of Coolidge's friend Frank Stearns, and C. Bascom Slemp (1870-1943), Secretary to the President, sitting in their box at the sixth game of the World Series in Washington, D.C., USA, circa 1925. Coolidge and Slemp are pictured waving their hats, cheering on their team, from the box, draped in a United States flag. (Photo by FPG/Getty Images)" width="738" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-104560161-738x576.jpg 738w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-104560161-300x234.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-104560161-768x599.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-104560161.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 738px) 100vw, 738px" />FPG/Getty Images</div>
That trust establishes a connective chain of gratitude and obligation for the American people today. The Founding generation launched the experiment. The current generation has the task of continuing it by governing themselves, assuming their duties and respecting the rights of others, in equal measure. Without an appreciation of their heritage, we can’t expect them to remain galvanized to maintain a life of freedom for their children.
Such reflections serve to inspire, just as they humble. Contemporary Americans are the posterity, but not the singular source, of America’s material blessings. From the Founding to Lincoln’s time, America had grown in size, population, and wealth. It was the “iron men” who fought for the principles of America, who enabled the “degree of prosperity that we now enjoy.” The Founders established a commercial republic, respectful of property rights and disdainful of class distinctions, that unleashed American ingenuity, entrepreneurship, and mobility.
Both Lincoln and Coolidge believed such enterprise could ultimately be traced to the Declaration of Independence. It is the principle of human equality that eliminates fixed social status and gives individuals the right to eat the bread that their own hands earn, <a href="https://mason.gmu.edu/~zschrag/hist120spring05/lincoln_ottawa.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as Lincoln explained</a>.
In turn, Coolidge contended that, “The things of the spirit come first.” He warned that, unless Americans cling to the Declaration, “all our material prosperity, overwhelming though it may appear, will turn to a barren scepter in our grasp.” Material pursuits, when not bound by eternal and immutable principles, become destructive. Self-reliance degrades to autonomy, greed, and consumerism. Profound abundance, absent the transcendent and sacrificial, ushers in a crisis of purpose and meaning. Coolidge’s words portend our time.
Fortunately, Coolidge also provided a path forward. Examinations of the past serve to underscore the unifying work that went into the Declaration and offer hope for renewed consensus. The Declaration was not an exegesis of privileged, select statesmen but “the result of the seasoned and deliberate thought of the dominant portion of the people of the Colonies.”
For example, the principle of equality was present in nine of the early state constitutions, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Political-Theory-American-Founding-Conditions/dp/1316506037/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2H20U7BN7TC4J&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6qtc2rDHt-eUAnvUNOWGcHoydmfDDWYvpVCEfsosvd0EIwzTqv-kOfaQ2wvE-5-nivfxK_gCKiOydGmsvehF9Axk0jevsI92E_SVXYrSLJUYNZe3XhWYq_STdhR2rS39tf6XIAg2YjNKFwciDl3hhwOw1EZz9fff6X07sToEIl3o4L-5HKnbL19VO7vzSMmJwDDkHKzseLZQyv7OS9e7us9WCCeQH8xqMxjINBMzx6g.iz2h0xgI27hDriV1LLtgh5AlgL1thYUFaB6cToR16ug&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=the+political+theory+of+the+american+founding&amp;qid=1717520575&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=the+political+theory+of+the+american+founding%2Cstripbooks%2C100&amp;sr=1-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Founding scholar Dr. Thomas West</a>. Ideas about inherent natural rights and equality were put forth in the Virginia Declaration of Rights, penned by George Mason, prior to the Declaration of Independence. The recognition that “all men are created equal” was made accessible by the Judeo-Christian tenet that all are equal in the eyes of God. And influential religious leaders like Rev. Thomas Hooker preached to the approximately <a href="https://www.amazon.com/STILL-HOLD-THESE-TRUTHS-Rediscovering/dp/1935191926" target="_blank" rel="noopener">70-80% of colonial Americans</a> who attended church that, <a href="https://connecticuthistory.org/the-free-consent-of-the-people-thomas-hooker-and-the-fundamental-orders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The foundation of authority is laid in the free consent of the people.”</a>
Both Coolidge and Lincoln believed American unity resides in the Declaration. For his part, Lincoln believed that the principle “all men are created equal” establishes a common moral sentiment. It is the right of every American to “claim it as though they were blood of the blood, and flesh of the flesh of the men who wrote that Declaration.” For so we are.
That is the electric cord in that Declaration that links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving men together, that will link those patriotic hearts as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of men throughout the world.
It is fidelity to a set of principles, rather than exclusive religions or ethnicities, that defines Americans.
Matching Lincoln, Coolidge <a href="https://coolidgefoundation.org/events/virtual-event-inspiration-of-the-declaration/#:~:text=In%20the%20speech%2C%20titled%20%E2%80%9CThe,created%20equal%2C%20that%20is%20final." target="_blank" rel="noopener">contended</a> that:
<blockquote>About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful … If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final.</blockquote>
Americans can find contentment, solitude, and pride in the resilient principles of the Declaration of Independence and the connectivity they offer.
In Fourth of Julys gone by, Abraham Lincoln and Calvin Coolidge delivered two speeches worthy of Americans’ lasting consideration. Who will be the next statesman to do so? It may be some time, as such genius is difficult to match. Yet perhaps it is not so essential that presidents today echo their masterful words. What matters most is that we Americans believe them ourselves.
* * *
Brenda M. Hafera is the Assistant Director and Senior Policy Analyst at The Heritage Foundation&#8217;s Simon Center for American Studies.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

American Flags in Foreground with the White House in the Background

Claiming Our July 4th Birthright

Abraham Lincoln

Calvin Coolidge

Declaration of Independence

Heritage Foundation

Presidency

The strongest accusation against King George in the original draft of the Declaration of Independence never made it into the final copy, but this July 4th it is more important than ever. It read:
<blockquote>He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life &amp; liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating &amp; carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither.</blockquote>
Our nation has come a long way since Thomas Jefferson, himself a slaveholder, penned these words. Nearly 250 years later, though, we remain one of the top destinations for modern slavery — human trafficking. As they were then, many of the victims today are innocent children.
To understand how bad things are, recall that just ten years ago, on June 20, 2014, then-Vice President Biden <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/20/remarks-press-qa-vice-president-joe-biden-guatemala" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressed</a> alarm that 24,000 unaccompanied minors were apprehended at the Southern border in a single year, calling it a “startling number” that was “untenable and unsustainable.” “Between 75 and 80 percent” of these vulnerable children, he estimated, were sold into forced labor or prostitution by smugglers.
Now consider more than <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/southwest-land-border-encounters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">130,000 unaccompanied minors</a> have arrived at our Southern border every single year since President Biden took office, more than four times the number of arrivals a decade ago. By the President’s own estimation, nearly 100,000 children are trafficked in the United States every year.
Americans on both the Left and the Right are eager to change this.
Last Fourth of July, when the independent film &#8220;Sound of Freedom&#8221; debuted, its compelling story about the prevalence and horror of child-sex-trafficking resonated with millions of Americans. Soon, the film was <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/2023/?grossesOption=calendarGrosses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outgrossing</a> major productions such as &#8220;Indiana Jones,&#8221; &#8220;Mission: Impossible,&#8221; and &#8220;The Hunger Games&#8221; at the domestic box office.
<div id="attachment_574759" style="width: 873px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-574759" class="size-large wp-image-574759" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/06/S704317-e1687445635961-863x576.jpg" alt="Sound of Freedom" width="863" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/06/S704317-e1687445635961-863x576.jpg 863w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/06/S704317-e1687445635961-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/06/S704317-e1687445635961-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/06/S704317-e1687445635961.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 863px) 100vw, 863px" />Sound of Freedom | Angel Studios</div>
In places like Alabama, the outpouring of public support for the film was so great that it inspired the “Sound of Freedom Act,” making the penalty for first-degree human trafficking mandatory life imprisonment when the victim is a minor.
In Congress, Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), worked with us to introduce the SECURE Act, which requires the federal government to investigate and report on potential trafficking of the approximately 85,000 unaccompanied migrant children released by DHS into the U.S., but whose whereabouts remain unknown.
But in Hollywood, and in most of Washington, the &#8220;Sound of Freedom&#8221; was met with skepticism and scorn.
Countless pundits and reports attempted to connect the movie to the QAnon conspiracy theory. Biden’s own Department of Defense, despite the president’s expressed concerns about this issue, canceled screenings of the film at U.S. Southern Command Headquarters in Doral, Florida. And, of course, the SECURE Act hasn’t even been passed out of the Republican-controlled House.
It is a shame the film was politicized in this manner. Protecting kids and stopping traffickers shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Among voters, it’s not — only in Washington and Hollywood could it become one.
Child sex trafficking, like any market, relies on supply and demand. In this case, the supply comes from a steady stream of innocent children being bought, sold, and abused. Demand is driven by depraved adults.
The simplest and most effective way the White House could immediately reduce supply would be to secure the Southern border, thus undermining the cartels’ business.
Unfortunately, border security doesn’t fit into today’s liberal priorities. So late last month, the president opted instead to give amnesty to nearly 500,000 illegal aliens to “keep American families together.” This may sound nice, but it only further incentivizes desperate people to send their children into the arms of human traffickers.
Even fewer people in Washington are willing to do what it takes to reduce demand for sex-trafficking: Take on the billion-dollar porn industry.
Porn drastically increases the size and scope of the sex-trafficking industry. According to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10277752/#:~:text=There%20was%20an%20additional%2019,to%20the%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic." target="_blank" rel="noopener">researchers</a> at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, “teen porn” was the “fastest-growing genre” of pornography between 2005 and 2013. By March of that year, it was the “largest single genre… in terms of search frequency,” accounting for “500,000” searches.
Since then, things have only gotten worse. The National Institutes of Health <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10277752/#:~:text=There%20was%20an%20additional%2019,to%20the%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic." target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that COVID-19 brought a 19% increase in pornography consumption, and a drastic increase in the number of URLs confirmed as containing child sex abuse imagery <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/30964/total-number-of-urls-confirmed-as-containing-child-sexual-abuse-imagery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">followed</a> thereafter, increasing from 132,676 in 2019 to more than 255,000 in 2022.
Our leaders could address this problem if they wanted to. In 2020, a single story exposing the overt child porn and trafficking videos on Pornhub was enough to force the company to <a href="https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/press-play-with-madeleine-brand/coronavirus-schools-epa-august-wilson-zodiac-killer/pornhub-users-verification-abuse-money#:~:text=The%20website%20Pornhub%20has%20taken,their%20cards%20on%20the%20site." target="_blank" rel="noopener">delete</a> 10 million videos — 80% of the site’s total content — almost overnight.
Imagine what would happen if Republicans and Democrats in Congress worked together to require porn companies to put warning labels on their sites about porn’s relationship to child trafficking or its negative effects on mental health. Or better still, if Biden encouraged Democrats to support Senator Mike Lee’s SCREEN Act, which requires all commercial porn websites to adopt age verification technology to ensure a child cannot access its pornographic content.
With an election approaching, these issues can no longer be dismissed. The &#8220;Sound of Freedom&#8221; may have come and gone from the headlines, but the scourge of human trafficking has only gotten worse under President Biden, and it could prove to be a serious vulnerability for his campaign come November.
Why? The answer is simple.
Because the millions of Americans that &#8220;Sound of Freedom&#8221; spoke to aren’t QAnon conspiracy theorists. Nor are they enemies of America’s freedom and democracy.
They’re patriotic voters on both sides of the aisle who want to see their country live out its founding ideals, most especially the Declaration of Independence’s insistence that God’s children should never, ever be for sale.
* * *
Kevin Roberts, Ph.D., is the president of The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action for America. 
Eduardo Verástegui produced and acted in “Sound of Freedom.”
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Freedom and Love in the USA

This Independence Day, We Should Remember Those Still Enslaved

Children

Sex Trafficking

Sound of freedom

What, precisely, is it about America you love?
That’s the question this July 4 as just 29% of Democrats say they’re extremely proud of the country, accompanied by just 33% of independents and 60% of Republicans. In fact, Democratic love of country has always fallen far behind that of Republicans, even during the Obama era, when it hit a temporary high of just over 50% (Republicans at the time said they were extremely proud of the country at a rate of approximately 70%).
Why is it that liberals in the United States are so much less proud of America than conservatives? These days, the answer typically given is America’s inherent sinfulness; there is nothing in the American founding worth conserving. On Independence Day, Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO) tweeted, “The Declaration of Independence was written by enslavers and didn’t recognize Black people as human. Today is a great day to demand Reparations Now.” Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) similarly tweeted, “This July 4th, we must remember that we stand on stolen land toiled by enslaved Africans and recommit ourselves to the fight for freedom, equality, &amp; justice so that these ideals are accessible to everyone, not just a privileged few. We are not free until everyone is truly free.”
America, to these types, is a platform for utopianism rather than a set of ideals worthy of emulation. The Declaration of Independence was a lie; the Constitution was merely a guise for power. And the quest for a perfect world must begin in tearing down such institutions with whatever means are at our disposal. The ends justify the means.
Thus, while Democrats fulminate over supposed threats to democracy, a federal judge this week ruled that the Biden administration violated the First Amendment in pressuring social media companies to restrict free speech regarding covid and the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, among others; the Supreme Court ruled that the Biden White House had violated its constitutional boundaries in waiving student loan debt. Biden’s response: he pledged to utilize the executive branch to work around the Supreme Court’s ruling. 
Respect for the founding means respect for founding principles. Biden and his ilk have used a misinterpretation of one founding principle — “equality” — to vitiate the natural rights for which the founders originally fought. When the founders said that “all men are created equal,” they meant specifically that human beings had been “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” They did not mean, as Biden suggests, that all human beings ought to be made equal in result, or that indeed, all human beings are equal in all capacities. Biden’s idea is utopian nonsense; the founders’ idea was grounded in millennia of evidence and Judeo-Christian tradition.
Patriots celebrate the founding for what it was: a breakthrough in the nature of human governance, a ringing statement in favor of liberty from the heavy hand of tyranny. Today, too many celebrate the founding only as a platform for future change — change that would annihilate the ideals of the founding along the road to a “higher good.” This, presumably, is why Republicans are far more patriotic than Democrats even while saying that America is in the midst of a moral crisis; meanwhile, Democrats are far less patriotic while suggesting pride in America’s current moral state. Conservatives are disappointed with man’s sinfulness, but proud of the founders’ ideals; many liberals are disappointed with the founders’ ideals, and proud of man’s sinfulness.

Ben Shapiro 3 (1)

Do You Love America?

Ben Shapiro

Constitution

Cori Bush

President Joe Biden celebrated Independence Day appearing to get lost as he tried to get off the stage at a White House event.
The president delivered remarks ahead of a concert that included hip-hop artist Ne-Yo — among others — and just as the &#8220;Because of You&#8221; hitmaker was introduced, Biden attempted to make his way off the stage. Turning to his left, he quickly realized that there was no exit in the direction he had chosen.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: Biden celebrates the 4th of July by getting lost on stage, asking for instructions from his handlers&#8230;
&quot;They&#39;re trying to get me off the stage!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/RO3OPx8hQV">pic.twitter.com/RO3OPx8hQV</a>
&mdash; The First (@TheFirstonTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheFirstonTV/status/1676406587047518208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Where is he?&#8221; Biden asked, his back still to the audience as he tried to play it off as though he was looking for Ne-Yo. Laughter came from the crowd as Biden continued, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know, man, I want to say hi to him.&#8221;
The audience continued to laugh as Biden walked back toward the other side of the stage, saying to the crowd, &#8220;They&#8217;re trying to get me off the stage. You&#8217;re afraid I&#8217;m going to try to sing, aren&#8217;t you? &#8230; Thanks a lot guys, appreciate it.&#8221;
The president&#8217;s apparent confusion onstage came just days after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-biden-gets-up-and-leaves-live-tv-interview-while-still-on-air" target="_blank" rel="noopener">walked off the set</a> — while cameras were still rolling — during a recent interview with MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Biden ends his MSNBC interview and just gets up and walks off set while they&#39;re still live <a href="https://t.co/0NHfeugavE">pic.twitter.com/0NHfeugavE</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1674515134461493250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Instead of waiting for the segment to wrap, Biden got up and walked away as soon as Wallace thanked him for his time.
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And earlier during that same interview, the president had managed to mix up the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Joe Biden confuses the Declaration of Independence with the Constitution:
“The Constitution says we hold these truths to be self-evident. All men and women are created equal….” <a href="https://t.co/LFziD5hJyK">pic.twitter.com/LFziD5hJyK</a>
&mdash; Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) <a href="https://twitter.com/WarMachineRR/status/1674516592040857602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Its value system is different, and its respect for our institutions is different,” Biden said of the Supreme Court after a slew of decisions with which he disagreed. &#8220;And in that sense, it’s not as embracing of all, what I think the con— the Constitution says, &#8216;We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal, endowed by their creator &#8230;'&#8221;
The words Biden quoted, however, came from the Declaration of Independence.

President Biden Celebrates Fourth Of July At The White House

Joe Biden Celebrated Independence Day By Requiring Assistance To Get Off-Stage

Executive

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ice-cream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben &amp; Jerry&#8217;s ice cream</a> posted an anti-American message on social media as the nation celebrated its 247th birthday Tuesday.
&#8220;Ah, the Fourth of July,&#8221; the company claimed in a statement. &#8220;Who doesn&#8217;t love a good parade, some tasty barbecue, and a stirring fireworks display? The only problem with all that, though, is that it can distract from an essential truth about this nation’s birth: The US was founded on stolen Indigenous land.&#8221;
&#8220;The U.S. exists on stolen land,&#8221; the statement later added. &#8220;We have to acknowledge that—today and every day.&#8221;
&#8220;Just announce the ESG flavor already lmao,&#8221; one popular Twitter account responded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Just announce the ESG flavor already lmao <a href="https://t.co/4NXvxEty1D">https://t.co/4NXvxEty1D</a>
&mdash; The Rabbit Hole (@TheRabbitHole84) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRabbitHole84/status/1676379431634599936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) tweeted: &#8220;Ben &amp; Jerry&#8217;s, your once-good ice cream now sucks. You just guaranteed that I (a once-loyal customer) will never again consume a single pint of it.&#8221;
&#8220;When you suggest &#8216;returning&#8217; the land on which our country has been built for centuries, what exactly do you imagine?&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Expungement of property rights? Repatriation of most Americans to Europe?&#8221;
Political commentator Joel M. Petlin pointed out apparent hypocrisy from the company when he shared a screenshot of a news article that said: &#8220;Jewish students call for Ben &amp; Jerry&#8217;s to evacuate &#8216;illegally occupied&#8217; Vermont land.&#8221;
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&#8220;Speaking of stolen land, the Abenaki Nation would like to have a word with @benandjerrys about the land under their headquarters that they are occupying in Vermont,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They really should commit to returning this stolen land, and naming their next flavor *Shameful Hypocrisy Crunch*&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Speaking of stolen land, the Abenaki Nation would like to have a word with <a href="https://twitter.com/benandjerrys?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benandjerrys</a> about the land under their headquarters that they are occupying in Vermont.
They really should commit to returning this stolen land, and naming their next flavor *Shameful Hypocrisy Crunch* <a href="https://t.co/3OddasrfEt">https://t.co/3OddasrfEt</a> <a href="https://t.co/xk7oKmPOoy">pic.twitter.com/xk7oKmPOoy</a>
&mdash; Joel M. Petlin (@Joelmpetlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Joelmpetlin/status/1676408670484062210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Attorney and columnist Kurt Schlichter tweeted: &#8220;Good. The conqueror should get the spoils. If that makes you sad, that&#8217;s even better. My land acknowledgement is this: &#8216;We won. Too bad.'&#8221;

Vermont Economy

Ben & Jerry’s Posts Anti-American Message On July 4th; Critics Blast Their Hypocrisy

Ben & Jerry's Posts Anti-American Message On July 4th; Critics Blast Their Hypocrisy

Food

Ice Cream

Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cori-bush" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cori Bush</a> (D-MO) faced backlash on Independence Day for demanding that the U.S. pay reparations to black people.
&#8220;The Declaration of Independence was written by enslavers and didn’t recognize Black people as human,&#8221; she claimed. &#8220;Today is a great day to demand Reparations Now.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Declaration of Independence was written by enslavers and didn’t recognize Black people as human.
Today is a great day to demand Reparations Now ✊🏾
&mdash; Cori Bush (@CoriBush) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoriBush/status/1676246695045218305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The response to her tweet was overwhelmingly negative as most of the responses were hostile.
&#8220;Don&#8217;t you think more than enough white people paid for it with their blood during the Civil War?&#8221; writer Ian Miles Cheong asked.
Jeremy Redfern, press secretary for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, tweeted: &#8220;You’re gonna need reparations for this ratio.&#8221;
&#8220;Today is a great day to shut the f*** up,&#8221; another account tweeted.
Chris Loesch responded, &#8220;This is rubbish. Cori has no knowledge of what the framers did or didn’t believe evidently or what their efforts were. She should understand why people like Frederick Douglass honored and revered them.&#8221;
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Political strategist Ryan Girdusky tweeted, &#8220;People like Cori Bush could never build anything as great as what she’s trying to destroy.&#8221;
&#8220;Shut up you buffoonette,&#8221; said attorney and columnist Kurt Schlichter.
Political commentator Varad Mehta added: &#8220;Just an absolute pile of rancid filth.&#8221;
&#8220;Of the 56, 11 signers were guilty of enslaving others,&#8221; Libby Emmons, editor-in-chief of The Post Millennial, tweeted. &#8220;Jefferson&#8217;s clause about the need to abolish slavery was removed from the document in order to appease the colonies that backed the practice. Adams, Franklin and 2 others were abolitionists.&#8221;

Democrat Cori Bush Slammed For July 4th Tweet

Congress

Average per-person spending on Fourth of July food items rose to $93.34 in 2023 amid <a href="https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/">persistent inflation</a>, new <a class="c-link" href="https://nrf.com/research-insights/holiday-data-and-trends/independence-day/independence-day-data-center" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://nrf.com/research-insights/holiday-data-and-trends/independence-day/independence-day-data-center" data-sk="tooltip_parent">data</a> from a National Retail Federation (NRF) survey found.
The figure is the highest ever recorded by the NRF since the survey began in 2003, marking a $9.22 increase since last year when the individual cost averaged out to $84.12. The survey, conducted from June 1st to June 7th, fielded responses from 8,225 consumers.
While the average per-person cost of Fourth of July food items was just $68.16 in 2014, the sum has grown every year except 2019. The report comes as Americans continue to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-brags-about-chart-showing-inflation-skyrocketed-after-biden-took-office">struggle with</a> inflation, which hit a <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/13/us-inflation-new-40-year-high-june-00045541">40 year high</a> in 2022.
“The cost of a 4th of July cookout in 2021 is down $0.16 from (2020),” the Biden administration previously boasted despite <a href="https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/">severe inflation</a>. However, NRF found that the price actually increased by more than $4 from 2020 to 2021.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Planning a cookout this year? Ketchup on the news. According to the Farm Bureau, the cost of a 4th of July BBQ is down from last year. It’s a fact you must-hear(d). Hot dog, the Biden economic plan is working. And that’s something we can all relish. <a href="https://t.co/7h9qLauIbC">pic.twitter.com/7h9qLauIbC</a>
&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1410709115333234691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2022/consumer-price-index-unchanged-over-the-month-up-8-5-percent-over-the-year-in-july-2022.htm#:~:text=SUBSCRIBE-,Consumer%20Price%20Index%20unchanged%20over%20the%20month%2C%20up%208.5%20percent,the%20year%2C%20in%20July%202022&amp;text=The%20Consumer%20Price%20Index%20for,and%201.0%20percent%20in%20May.">reports</a> a 10.9% increase in the price of consumer food goods from July 2021 to July 2022, the largest increase over 12 months since May 1979. BLS notes that “prices for food at home rose 13.1 percent,” while there was a 7.9% increase in the cost of food away from home in the 12-month span. 
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A recent <a href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/com/insights/agri-food-intelligence/fourth-july-food-report/">report</a> on food inflation from Wells Fargo notes that the average cost of beer has increased by 8% since last year, while the price of an average 12-ounce soft drink has risen by 54 cents, or 14%. The cost of a pound of chocolate chip cookies is up about 14% since last year, while the price of bread increased by 22%. Prices for ground beef and pork chops showed minor price increases of about 1%.
 The costs of ice cream and processed cheese are up 9% and 10%, respectively, though the average cost of milk fell in 2023. The price of potato chips surged 15% since last year, while the costs of chicken breasts and eggs decreased.
But while costs have risen, the NRF survey found that 87% of respondents plan to celebrate the Fourth of July this year.

Fourth of July Cookout

Inflation Causes Fourth Of July Cookout Items To Hit Record High: Report

Economy

Inflation

Competitive eating legend Joey Chestnut just did it again when he broke a record after downing nearly four dozen chicken fingers in just minutes.
It all went down Wednesday in Las Vegas at a new Raising Cane&#8217;s chicken restaurant in honor of National Chicken Finger Day. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-joey-chestnut-manhandles-protester-while-scarfing-down-63-hot-dogs-in-15th-july-fourth-contest-win">Chestnut</a> set a new record when he scarfed down 44 Cane&#8217;s chicken fingers in five minutes.
The whole spectacle was live-streamed and shared on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s2mMDDCVTs">YouTube</a> by Cane&#8217;s. In the clip that can be seen below, the man who&#8217;s proved he&#8217;s the Tom Brady of competitive eating admitted before the timer started that he would have to &#8220;hustle&#8221; in order to break the record.
&#8220;These things are big [the chicken fingers],&#8221; Joey explained. &#8220;They&#8217;re big. They&#8217;re meaty. But they&#8217;re delicious. I&#8217;m gonna have to hustle. Just find my happy place and keep going. So, I think 40 to 50, it&#8217;s doable.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Joey Chestnut vs. Raising Cane’s" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2s2mMDDCVTs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
At the start of the competition, it was announced that there were 75 of the restaurant&#8217;s famed chicken fingers placed in front of Chestnut. The MC then counted down from five before the giant clock on the table started ticking away.
The competitive eater then began wolfing one chicken finger at a time while he was flanked by two Vegas dancers, who were wearing red sparkling dresses, feather boas, and feather headgear.
The crowd cheered his name &#8220;Joey, Joey&#8221; and rooted Chestnut on as he tackled one chicken finger after another. The champ rotated between shoving the chicken fingers in his mouth to taking drinks to help get them them all down.
The &#8220;American Legend,&#8221; as the MC labeled him, seemed to tackle the first two dozen without any struggle at all before he appeared to be moving more methodically as the clock ticked down. Then, it was announced that &#8220;Joey Chestnut&#8221; had set a new record for the restaurant chain, eating 44 Cane&#8217;s chicken fingers in just five minutes.
After the champ got a chance to breathe and soak up his victory, Joey said he was &#8220;living the dream&#8221; by getting to travel the country and set records for eating great food.
On July 4, Chestnut scored his 15th Nathan&#8217;s Hot Dog Eating Contest win in 16 years, after chowing 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-joey-chestnut-manhandles-protester-while-scarfing-down-63-hot-dogs-in-15th-july-fourth-contest-win">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported.

Joey Chestnut-2

WATCH: Competitive Eating Legend Breaks Record After Downing Nearly Four Dozen Chicken Fingers In Minutes

Competitive Eating Legend Joey Chestnut Breaks Record After Downing Nearly Four Dozen Chicken Fingers In Minutes

Celebrities

Entertainment

Las Vegas

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