Wikimedia Commons.
History News Network has a good article up, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” by Anne Pastore. It’s good reading for Colonial Day. Here’s just a bit:
African-American attitudes leading up to the Civil War toward Independence Day itself were perhaps best expressed by Frederick Douglass in his 1852 speech named after its most famous line, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Asking the crowd why they have asked him, a black man, to speak on this occasion celebrating freedom in a country where his people are not free, his oration demands acknowledgement of slavery, “the great sin and shame of America.”
“Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”
I learned a few things I didn’t know, and I have yet more reading to do. Wherever there’s a declaration of independence, there’s often a pile of bodies under that declaration, and it’s important to remember the cost to all peoples, not just the spoils of the victors.
There’s a great need for such reflection, because the March of American Stupidity stomps on:
The one-time Florida representative and retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel GOP Rep. Allen West is extremely concerned by his observation that Americans use the phrase “Happy Fourth of July” to greet each other instead of “Happy 240th American Independence Day,” or better yet, “Steadfast and Loyal, Happy 240th American Independence Day.”
West is afraid that the country is not only becoming less Christian, but also less patriotic.
“I’ve noticed something as it relates to today and that which it represents,” West wrote on his blog. “We’ve seen our move away from Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays, and even Happy Winter Solstice. We’ve become so damaged by the talons of political correctness that it now threatens the very existence of our Republic. And I mean its very founding.”
[…]
He concludes, “On June 14th 1775 our Continental Army was formed, the motto of today’s U.S. Army is ‘This We’ll Defend.’ Let us all defend these free and independent states from a new tyranny and make a stand for Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness…not charlatans who believe they can promise our individual happiness. Steadfast and Loyal, Happy 240th American Independence Day!”
Mr. West, you can take your Steadfast and Loyal, Happy 240th American Independence Day and shove it. Full story here.
Libby Anne has a very good post today about how her understanding of history has changed and how that changed her attitudes about patriotism.
Do Progressives Hate American History?
Oh, thank you!
What is worth celebrating is not what it accomplished on the day, nor even what that has added up to now, it is the principles which continue to guide us to ever better things.
Corwyn:
Oh? What principles would those be? The ones which excused and fostered slavery? The ones which caused and fueled a genocide against my people, and all other Indians, which continues to this day? The ones which enshrined lying, cheating, and stealing, as long as you get what you want? I could go on here. Perhaps you should click on that link provided by Kengi @ 1, and do a bit of learning.
Corwyn, one could compare human and civil rights to a three-legged stool. One leg is the definition of the rights, the other is enforcement of the rights and the third is, do they apply to you. Without all three the rights won’t stand for you. If the third leg isn’t there for all, they aren’t rights, they are privileges.
Ice Swimmer @ 5:
That’s an excellent way to explain it.
FTFY
Are you sure it’s not a parody?
Alexander, oh yes, I’m sure. If you aren’t familiar with West, I suggest you take a look at his blog, linked twice in the OP.
Caine #9
That’s just depressing. And rather scary.
Caine @ 6
Thank you!
Caine:
I’m pretty sure Corwyn meant the principles to which the US’s Founding Fathers paid lip service, principles it would be nice if we really did live up to. Am inclined to think that celebrating those principles is a thing progressives can support with clear conscience, provided that nobody makes the noob error of thinking we’ve actually got Equality And Justice For All.
Hmm. How does one celebrate those principles without running afoul of that noob error?
Cubist:
I know what Corwyn meant. I have no idea why you seem to be under the impression that I need a translator. Your fucking “founding fathers” never even played lip service to anything. Thieves, murderers, hypocrites all. Anyone who actually reads this blog would know better than to let loose with such a puckered asshole statement.