It is now July 1st, the aisles have been filled with fireworks, booze, american-flag everything, swimming gear, firepit equipment, and all things "Fourth" for weeks now. It is as if we as americans really only have these corporate, foolish holidays to keep ourselves going, and that's what this is, a corporate holiday, foolishness.
Fourth of You-Lie is nothing to the people of North America but an opportunity to dampen their cognitive abilities with alcohol, to watch military parades and participate in costumed pageantry, to consume copious amounts of grilled meat and to blow shit up in the sky in bright red, white and blue. And who could blame them? I'm honestly not trying to throw shade at the majority of people who just do this because, well, everybody else does, I'm just breaking it down. Unlike some other holidays where the myth might still be alive and well, the Fourth has lost much of its magic touch, so it seems. Or has it?
There are still those in society who do feel strongly about the "origin" of the Fourth, but their numbers are hovering around at some of the lowest points in years- for good reason, as much of what we have been told about the US has been proven to be false through the experiences of history time and time again. But even still, a power like the US Empire has its tentacles everywhere, and can control, dictate, and act in a measured way to ensure that those who do still remain loyal to its romanticized story will also try to find others who share that same loyalty. Old Navy still sells those god awful American tees, and the ads still switch from "We care about LGBTQ+ community members" to, "Fireworks! Meat! Beer! 'Murica!" overnight. This is because the true quality of this so-called history, this Empire, and its practices have yet to be dealt with en masse by the population within its walls - especially the white population, but not exclusively.
I find myself getting more scared every year around this time, and really, every day at this point. Looking out and seeing the settler violence in Palestine, now being acted upon by individual settlers not simply the IDF and other militias, seeing the increased wealth going to the creation of Cop City in Atlanta, and also watching as so many simply crack open a cold one, turn on some tunes, and just black out - not only on July 4th, but in many cases we're doing this every day (I can't say I'm not guilty of some self-medication myself). I am filled with not only rage, but grief and concern for others and myself. What is this? Is this really what we as a part of the human race, we as people have to offer? After COVID, Trump, the Biden years, Ukraine's failure, and everything else going on, we have this to give to the world? A passive, participatory salute to the murderers of the third world, the Empire, simply because why not? This is pathetic!
What are you celebrating? What are we to celebrate on a day like July 4th?
Where is the so-called freedom for the people of East Palestine, who watched, abandoned by the government and "authorities" as their city went up in a black plume of smoke back on February 3rd?
Where is the liberty and justice for the descendants of slaves and those killed through the process of enslavement, incarceration, and police violence, still today suffering the consequences of an unequal system based on this practice of slavery?
Where is the humanity, even, for the Indigenous people who watched their lands, their political structures, their nations, and their relations be torn to shreds by settlers? Where is "freedom" located, exactly, for the native people of this land who have been thrown onto concentration camps, and had 95% of their former populations wiped from the face of the earth?
There is none - because this is NOT a "Free Country" - it is an Empire!
And yet, we sit back, drink a beer, and think about...nothing.
Maybe we're stressed about work, or our health, our family, or maybe we're worried about our lack of funds to pay bills; so many are smacked with debt - student, medical, credit card, mortgages, etc. - and so maybe that's what we're trying to black out from? Many of us have families, our own or our loved ones, who for better or for worse we cannot stand, and we're being forced to go to a cookout with them after work, and so that's why we're playing grill master, saying nothing. Who knows?
Listen - I get it. I really do. Been there, done that, lowkey kind of wish I could just hop back to that train...though not really. Because having studied, learned and become conscious, being aware of what's going on, has made me able to grow in myself, my relationships, my personality, my knowledge, my abilities, and my confidence. It has also helped my motivation and belief in and for the coming revolution.
Consciousness is key, to life, to love, to relations, and to truth. Consciousness is the key to organizing, so don't take it personal, I'm not coming for you. Just remember what's going on while you're kicking back that 5th or 6th one, getting ready to hop behind the wheel and head home to crash... cause you gotta work on the fifth, right?
ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!