The Fourth is always a challenging holiday. Having split my time between a first world country and a developing one, it was easy to see as a child the differences in opportunity and Liberty. As a teen I began to realize how traumatizing such celebrations can be (we are essentially celebrating fear and violence) but over the last decade, as one's perspective shifts to a more true place, I see a shell of meaning whose only purpose is to distract and reinforce oppressive ideology. "We are great! America is the best! Look at our freedom!" Every year it's the same and every year I feel less and less connected to this country. Because it's not true. And we keep lying to ourselves. We let others lie to us to comfort us instead of being honest about what our country sees in the mirror. There is no self reflection on this most celebrated birthday. No "so what do you want to do in the next year of your life?" Nope. Just a bunch of environmentally destructive toys that sound like weapons. (Don't even get me started on Seafair.)
This year I didn't celebrate white men winning freedom from more white men. I didn't celebrate freedom because at no point in the course of American history has the entire population living here been free. I can't even begin to comprehend what Native communities feel on this day. I can't bring myself to do it.
So I spent the day binge watching the new season of OITNB. I thought it was a very appropriate decision. And then yesterday the news came out that the FBI won't be pressing charges against Hillary. And today more news of black folks being killed for no good reason. This isn't freedom. This isn't greatness. This is broken. This is something that was broken when it started and it's time that we collectively recognize this.
That fourth season though... damn, ok. Talk about relevancy.
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