As a monarchist, I've long been perturbed by the irony of sharing a birthday with Bastille Day. How dare the French celebrate their vile Revolution, which led to the deaths of so many innocent people and paved the way for Nazism and Communism, on my birthday! (Bruce Lewis and John Zmirak share similar thoughts.) As if the French abomination weren't bad enough, July 14 is also the anniversary of the overthrow and murder of King Faisal II of Iraq in 1958, which paved the way for...oh, never mind.
Fortunately, there are happier events associated with this date: the beginning of the Anglo-Catholic Oxford Movement in England with John Keble's famous "National Apostasy" sermon in 1833, and the birth of HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in 1977, exactly one year before me.
(A Catholic Facebook friend informs me that this is also the traditional feast of St. Bonaventure.)
Somewhat encouragingly, the Los Angeles Times reports (H/T: RadicalRoyalist) that many French people today lack enthusiasm for Bastille Day--though not necessarily for the right reasons.
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