While July Fourth used to be about birth of a nation — and it may still be, to a minority of Americans who take the time to engage in community parades, revolutionary reenactments and reading about our Founding Fathers — its meaning now strays.

Today it is largely about the gluttony of Americans, many of whom see this day off from work as an excuse to ingest a few days’ worth of calories in the form of beer, soda, chips, hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and a smorgasbord of other symbolically “American,” foods.

We seem to be damn proud of it. Just tune in to ESPN on Saturday morning, when you can see Nathan’s International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest live from Coney Island. The celebration of eating to excess – which will eventually result in health problems — has been held nearly every year since July 4, 1916, and has thousands of spectators.

They see American eaters such as Joey Chestnut , last year’s winner, challenge Japan’s Takeru “Tsunami” Kobayashi, six-time winner of the competition and competitive eating legend, and majority likely watch because they wish they too could one day eat 64 hot dogs and buns — last year’s winning total — within 10 minutes and hoist the coveted mustard-yellow belt with which the champion is rewarded.  

But is it really cool to consume over 14,000 calories? I think not. Take a few moments to remember those who fought to birth our 233-year-old nation — because they sure as hell weren’t thinking about hot dogs.