Okay, so this sentiment isn’t unique and with the new battle cry against Critical Race Theory (and also teaching history to children as it actually happened in any capacity), the Republican party continues to instill fear of the “destruction of America.” This holiday is one of the many they’re clinging on to for the sake of desperately touting America’s greatness. It’s another piece of history where the whole story isn’t told and if someone mentions the fact not every one was free that day they’re immediately labeled “unpatriotic.” Patriotism has been used as a weapon for centuries to excuse violence and uplift white supremacy. Just think about how it was used by the former-president-who-must-not-be-named. There is no “making America great again” because a majority of the country understands that phrase is inherently racist and whatever vague time period is being referenced should not and will not ever be replicated. Little do those cult followers know the America they’re frightened will no longer exist isn’t real.
Ultimately, I think the fear that is undoubtedly behind this charade of anger towards CRT is coming to terms with something that involves a messy examination of self that is not only uncomfortable, but terrifying. People who are so scared of/angry/confused by CRT and having to accept how this country truly came to be are not prepared to seriously take a look into racism, prejudice, and systemic inequality and how they might play a role in upholding these structures. The work needed to disassemble white supremacy isn’t easy, but it is easy to ignore it and blame “woke culture” and “political correctness.”
The 4th being a lie is also something that is so glaringly apparent, it’s comical at this point. Fourth of July is supposed to be the birth of America. It is the day we as Americans are supposed to blindly celebrate the passage of the Declaration of Independence, which was signed by our forefathers (most of whom owned humans), and bask in the glory of the story of an underdog nation that fought to be. However, this tantalizing teaching of the holiday distinctly leaves out the extremely important reality that no, not everyone became free that day and that freedom as we’d all come to know it is never free and always comes at the cost of lives, integrity, and humanity.
Freedom… Are we free?
In a society where we’re told to work to live and where our jobs become our lives and where our work becomes who we are, it doesn’t seem so free. In an economy where we are at the behest of a volatile stock market and fluctuating international interests, where is our say? In a country where children are hungry and without housing, cities are fighting for clean water, and corporations, billionaires, and millionaires are able to make decisions that affect the livelihood of the nation in devastating ways, how does freedom factor in there? An oil spill on fire in the ocean and we’re told we need to recycle more and eat less meat, but manufacturers dumping tons of chemicals into bodies of water and emitting harmful gases are barely regulated. It is our duty as citizens to try and preserve the world, but how can we believe in the reversal of climate change when factories operate without restrictions. We are taught to be grateful to be born in America because there are oppressive countries out there where we would be punished for even thinking about criticizing the government, but there are plenty of accounts of radical figures disappearing. We’re told to be grateful we exist in a country where we are seen as being at the forefront of culture and innovation but what does that even mean anymore in a world that is more and more connected and was it even ever really true? Yeah, there are great things about living in the US, but who is benefitting from this wild idea of American Exceptionalism at this point? Keeping the population in a state of unhealthy pridefulness and contentment means not having to evolve and adapt, but it’s necessary to question and I think more people are seeing that now.
Independence Day has always felt like a bizarre celebration for black people to participate in but our ancestors did build this damn country so we should absolutely be apart of any commemoration that has to do with its existence. It just felt weird growing up that everyone knew the reality of the 4th of July but never really spoke about it. Our forefathers owned people and I don’t think I ever found that out in school. It was another one of those moments where I had to look beyond selective history lessons. Slavery continues to be such a triggering word the mere mention of it makes people so uneasy they have to immediately resort to, “it happened so long ago” or “get over it” with such fervor it’s no wonder a lot of the country is still in denial. Instead of mention the unmentionable, the 4th of July always focused on the scrappy forefathers who banned together and created something out of nothing rather than them being complicit in genocide, slavery, and cruel acts of violence.
As I mentioned before, in my last post, about Juneteenth, federal holidays tend to get whitewashed, and I’ve already seen some weird things happen with Juneteenth, or as a company I’ve seen call it in an out of office note, Freedom Day. Okay, so if Juneteenth is Freedom Day, then what tf should we call Fourth of July?? These are the types of seemingly minor infringements that turn a holiday about the end of an unimaginable system that continues to affect the entire country, into a red-addled Freedom Day devoid of its original meaning.
Fourth of July is an important day in American history, sure. It’s a marker in how this country formed, but we cannot continue to disassociate the reality that it wasn’t a real independence, because there were enslaved people who’s lives did not change with this country’s “freedom.” Not to mention the land upon which this whole country is built is also stolen.
I still firmly believe we can make this country better, but understanding how history has directly caused so many of the issues we’re facing today is such a crucial way forward. This includes examining the stories we’re told and figuring out ways to reimagine how we discuss historical events with honesty and transparency.
I’m lucky because the 4th of July is my grandmother’s birthday and I get to celebrate her legacy and her life. I like to imagine that the whole country is setting off fireworks for her, and she deserves it. So today, I wish my grandmother a happy birthday.
May everyone eat all the BBQ and spend time with loved ones, but we can never return to the day and age where we don’t understand the complexities of these holidays.
Finally, to the country, I hope we can all get it together and revolutionize how we live.