HAUNTED 4TH OF JULY

A Different Perspective on a Day of Patriotism

This year the Fourth of July was a bit different than normal. Instead of the large firework displays and parades flooded with candy and floats, we had time to spend with family and think about what this holiday really means to us as a society and what it means to each individual within our society. This piece is intended to be thought provoking on how we celebrate, why we celebrate, and the things we should celebrate moving forward. - Providence B.

Happy Fourth of July? Not for some. Right now in America we see our streets laden with protests, stories, and individuals with powerful and passionate messages for us to absorb. In America we have the First Amendment umbrella to protect our right to free speech, something that we should never take for granted; an Amendment that brings out the best of our country and highlights the pockets of society we need to work on the most.

June and July brought on a conglomerate of events that have underlined the Black Lives Matter movement and the need to re-evaluate the state of our country in a powerful light. In July, Americans gathered and celebrated the Fourth of July, the commemoration of the Declaration of Independence in America. This holiday does not have the same meaning for each and every American. It is not a Hallmark holiday that has an exclusive meaning with fireworks and family barbecues. Behind the barbecues and bright lights in the sky, there are people who do not feel celebrated in their country. There are many that are crumbling under the foundation that this country has built. Brianna Brown, a screenwriter for NBC states, “the Fourth of July represents ignorance and unguided faith; that Americans suppress what is going on in the current times and substitute feelings like sensation, celebration, and the awe of fireworks”. Although the efects of the fireworks may be beautiful and radiant, the works and actions that some take in our country create an efect that is “far from pretty and riddled with tragedy” states Brown . We associate our freedom with three simple colors; red, white and blue. Those colors do not emulate freedom for all; for some they “are plagued with tragedy, oppression and white supremacy”. No member of the community should feel a need to put their guard up when they see the flag of their country, or a bumper sticker on a car, that is not what freedom and unity looks like.

Brianna Brown, NBC Screenwriter

We are a unique nation, a nation that is home to many, a nation where many have a hard time adjusting too. Brown states “I can't cultivate pride of patriotism for a country that was built on the backs of slaves and has not adequately worked towards righting the wrongs that they have made, but instead has systematically labored to keep black and brown people at constant disadvantage”. As a country we need to keep learning and growing; educating and nurturing; righting our wrongs. We need to continue to encourage the people around us to educate themselves and participate in dialogue, we need to continue to cultivate an environment for learning and growing. We need to continue to cultivate an environment where these things are the norm, and not occurring in isolated, privileged pockets of the public.

Don't be sorry. Be better.

It is important to listen, read and learn to those who do not have the same experiences as you and do not travel in your shoes. “Don't give up when you mess up, do not waste time beating yourself up for your moments of ignorance, don't be sorry, be better” states Brown. It is important to pursue self improvement and be deliberately and thoughtfully outspoken, even when in the company of those who hold diferent beliefs than you; do not be afraid to hold that place in the current conversation.

In twenty years our country could look very diferent, tomorrow our country could hold a diferent conversation, it all depends on how we choose as a nation to take action. The United States Census Bureau states that by 2044 more than half of all Americans are projected to be minorities, compared to now where the minority rate is 40%. The time to learn and take action is now, the future needs us.