On this day celebrating independence, freedom, and justice, I am thinking about the supposed promises that the idea of 'America' was meant to embody, and what that means to me personally, despite our bloody, tumultuous beginnings and chequered history, and the frankly shameful state of affairs in Washington and elsewhere right now. The idea of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, for anyone, regardless of the colour of their skin, where they came from, who they love, or what gods they choose to worship (or not). The fundamental human freedoms outlined by President Roosevelt in his State of the Union address on January 6th, 1941: "In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression – everywhere in the world. The second is freedoms of every person to worship god in his own way – everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want…everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear…anywhere in the world. That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation." I have to believe that together, we can build a tomorrow far brighter than today. #wordstoliveby #fdr #fourfreedoms #fourthofjuly #independenceday #freedomfromfear #freedomforallmankind #freedomforall #justiceforall #buildingabettertomorrow #dignityforall #humandignity #empowerment #empoweringquotes #patriotic #truepatriot #fightthepower #freedomfromoppression #judgednotbythecoloroftheirskin #butbythecontentoftheircharacter #mlk #womensupportingwomen #lgbtqiarights #prochoice #equality #womanpower #buildingabetteramerica #buildingabetterworld #loveoneanother #loveyall https://www.instagram.com/p/BzfrVPYg9jO/?igshid=m4louhnicm1k