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Thursday, July 3, 2025
Struggle Upwards
Image by Lights on Studio
'That piece of red, white and blue bunting means five thousand years of struggle upwards. It is the full-grown flower of ages of fighting for liberty. It is the century plant of human hope in bloom.'
Alvin Owsley
✨HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!✨
While The Storm Clouds Gather Far Across The Sea
When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 19:33-34
I really try not to get too preachy on FH, especially on holidays. I want the site to be light and fun, and a place to escape. FH is certainly an escape for me, from a stressful day job, and the struggles and life losses we all feel and experience. That being said, there a few occasion I break my own rules, today being one of them. If you dislike political comments, I only do this once or twice a year, so please just continue scrolling and enjoy the images of the stunning Simm by TR Pics.
The Trump years however, for so many of us, have been like a gut kick to everything we thought we knew. Individual rights are disappearing faster than we can keep up. Cruelty has become the guiding principal and every single person, with the possible exception of rich, white men who cave to his every whim, are vulnerable and expendable.
I know I'm not the only one feeling this way. According to Gallup, just 58% of Americans say they’re “very” or “extremely” proud to be American. This is down from 85% in 2013 and the lowest ever recorded by Gallup organization. It's not surprising given how so many groups of people are being dehumanized by the orange anus and his followers. So many lies and propaganda violently shoved out about immigrants, minorities, trans and LBGTQ community members.
The racism in the MAGA immigration debate is so clearly about racism, it's really impossible to deny. It took less than a year to go from 'they’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats' to now wanting to feed immigrants to alligators. It's so degusting, yet so obvious, in any other time and place, the racism would be the daily lead story. Under the orange Cheeto, hospitals get closed while Alligator Alcatraz gets it's grand opening. So many remained silent, and his supporters thought they were safe. As we know however, now veterans, the elderly and the poor, are all now also in the crosshairs.
To do posts featuring the usual 'rah rah' and flag waving would be almost inappropriate. I'm not naturally a fake it til you make it kind of guy. Still, I do have hope. The No Kings protests were powerful, and timely. I believe eventually, this ignorant and intellectually inadequate idiot will be gone. It will take awhile, maybe years to fully rid the country of his stench, but that day will come. Bullies can only survive with support, and when his time in office draws to a close, most of them will scurry to the next idiot to idolize and hide behind.
The No Kings protests helped motivate me to continue my Independence Day visual celebrations. My goal this year is not to necessary celebrate what currently is, but what was, and what will be again. I wanted a reflective tone that reflects the struggles, but celebrates the beauty, the culture and the diversity, that even when under attack, are the true representation of the land of the free and the home of the brave.
History Has Its Eyes on You
'Immigrants...we get the job done.'
Hamilton
Richard Rodgers Theatre
August 06, 2015 - Present
There are many musicals that celebrate the 4th of July and Americana. Many Broadway musicals feature scenes or themes appropriate for a Fourth of July celebration. Holiday Inn has a 4th of July celebration scene, Ragtime featured historical American figures. On the Town celebrates the American Spirit, and 1776 depicts the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I featured the musical All American on the 4th in 2023. (HERE:)
Not every musical with a Patriotic theme are celebratory. Assassins is about the men and women who assassinated and attempted to assassinate U.S. Presidents and Hair includes protests and the anti-Vietnam War movement. The song America from West Side Story centers on freedom and opportunity as well as prejudice and struggles experienced by Puerto Rican immigrants.
Then of course there's Hamilton. The Lin-Manuel Miranda created musical hits both the good and the bad notes of American's past and sadly present. It's theme are vast, but include Ambition and Democracy, Immigration, Diversity, Honor and morality. Like most musicals, I was introduced to the show through it's music and the soundtrack. I still listen to the original Broadway cast release almost weekly and I think my favorite song is Phillipa Soo performing the brilliantly powerful Burn.
Like so many who couldn't see the show on Broadway, we were quenched with the 2020 Disney digital release. Like so many during Covid, I devoured the show, re-watching it again and again over the following few months. With Hamilton about to hit it's 10th anniversary, the 4th of July seemed the perfect time to celebrate the show.
Now this is FH, meaning in addition to celebrating the songs and talented cast, it's also time to celebrate the incredibly hot men in the original cast. See which cast members lost their waistcoats, their ruffled cuffs, their breeches and their boots. Check out much more on FH HERE: & HERE:
Meeting the Moment: Cooper & Sterling by TR Pics
'We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools.'
Martin Luther King, Jr
Sterling
I've been featuring the work of TR Pics for close to fifteen years, and especially love Tom's holiday work. Over that time, if I've learned one thing about Tom as an artist, is that he's always up for a challenge. One only look back to two years ago, to my 2023 Halloween posts. (HERE:) I let Tom know my theme was King Kong, and that I wanted a hot naked model in the hands of the magnificent beast. Tom didn't think of reasons it couldn't be done, he blew by any and all obstacles, and focused on how it could be done.
Cooper Bold
When I asked Tom about shooting for this year's 4th of July holiday, the challenge, at least on the surface, seemed easier than putting a 6' tall male model, in the paw of a 24ft tall gorilla. It was however, more artistically specific. I often request themes, but I don't remember after asking about tone or mood. My request to Tom was to shoot a diverse set of models with a reflective tone.
Given the present political climate, and the intellectually limited clown in the White House, I was visualizing subdued beauty. Visuals embracing strength and resilience. Images expressing a patriotic pride rooted in the moment, but determinately looking towards a more hopeful future as well. To hit just the right patriotic note, Tom enlisted four models, including Cooper Bold and Sterling who are featured here. (The other two models are featured on the next page HERE:) As you can clearly see, Tom, as well as models Cooper and Sterling, rose to the challenge and more than met the moment.
' I love shooting with Tom because he is so easy to get along with. He's got the sweet heart and genuinely pays attention to his models. He finds beauty in every body and knows how to bring that out in the shoots. As for the theme, being an American to me is finding strength. Not just to stand up, but to forgive. Having the strength to look past the small things and find unity in our struggles.'
Tom describes Cooper Bold as an amazing guy, visually stunning, but even-keeled and someone always willing to jump in and help. Tom met Sterling at a group photoshoot and was immediately taken by his amazing body. Tom describes Sterling as one of the sweetest, and modest models that he's worked with. Sterling shared that he wasn't always so tones, and is very proud of the hard work he has put into his body and into his health.
I was very intrigued when Tye told me about his wants to commemorate the United States' Independence Day for FH. Because of these very "trying times" all around the world, the idea of a celebratory "Fourth" just seemed a bit... off. He had mentioned maybe we could focus on the feelings of what "Freedom" means to those folk who are almost targeted for being different today, namely either immigrants or those with darker skin tones.
We decided we wanted a serious bent, because Freedom for a lot of people took more effort and courage and desire than it did for a lot of people. Some of us have taken it for granted. Others know of the demands that it took to fight for it. Hopefully, that comes across. My theme and objective was, Pride for the past; Hope for the future.
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