Whose independence are we celebrating?
It certainly isn’t that of the First People. The native Americans that we stole land from, displaced and murdered. And we are still doing it to this day. They are so marginalized that most Americans never give them a thought. Except when we celebrate the colonizer, Christopher Columbus. Can’t be their independence.
It certainly isn’t that of People of Color. Especially the ones we enslaved for over 250 years. The ones the 13th amendment “freed” only to have slavery replaced by incarceration through “the war on drugs”. Who have been and are still systematically and deliberately kept poor and marginalized. Who have been and continue to be redlined and separated from wealth and prosperity. Who are disproportionately targeted, harassed and killed by law enforcement. Or the ones who harvest most of the food in this country. Who process the beef, pork and chicken we eat. Who do the jobs that most Americans feel we are better than. Whose children we steal when they are trying to find a better home and future for them. Who must be “exceptional” just to have the possibility of being seen as equal. Whose cultural traditions are coopted to sell more products. Can’t be their independence.
It certainly isn’t that of women. The SCOTUS just let us know what they think of women. Expected and forced to give up bodily autonomy and health decisions. Still paid less than a man in the same position. Must be “exceptional” just to be seen as equal. Must live every day knowing 3 out of 4 will be abused or raped and their attackers will never face punishment (or even understand what they did). There are any number of states that continue to attack the sovereignty of women. Can’t be their independence.
It certainly isn’t that of our children. They continue to be slaughtered in schools and we wring our hands and blame doors and mental illness. We are stealing the future from them as we fail to make any real changes regarding climate change. We are just starting to see the real effect and ignore the coming relentless waves of climate refugees. We are leaving this crisis for them. We refuse to put any kind of universal health care in place to help them on a path to prosperity. We are not allowing them to learn the history of this country. We are keeping them ignorant to keep the parents happy. Can’t be their independence.
It certainly isn’t that of our friends and family in the LGTBQ+ community. We tell them they are mentally ill, a danger to society, unworthy of existence. We accuse them of grooming children to be prey. We deride Pride Month because somehow rainbows are upsetting. They are beaten in the streets, fired from jobs, told in action and word they don’t belong. Can’t be their independence.
That leaves us with straight white men. We are celebrating their continuance at the front of the American stage. The power they have amassed to control everyone else. We are celebrating their control of the major religion in this country which is now being used as basis for law. The fact they are the source of the abuse and rape of 3 out of 4 women but do not understand they are rapists and abusers. The fact they continue to refuse to see their privilege and its roots. Are we celebrating their unwillingness to let go of that power?
So, you can take Independence Day of a country stolen from the natives and built on their graves by the slaves owned by the men that wrote “all men are created equal” (as long as they were white landowners) and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. Because most Americans live in the shadows cast by the system of white male supremacy this country was bult on. Where is the independence?
It is time for America to declare it’s independence from white men. Adult white men comprise approximately 21% of the US population but they fill over 60% of elected offices. It is time for white men like me to move to the back of the stage and amplify the voices that we have been and are still drowning out. It’s OK. The worse thing that could happen is we will be treated as we have treated others.