My 4th of July Manifesto
Today I will not celebrate my country. I will weep for it.
We look at countries in Africa or Latin America and declare them corrupt. Why, we ask, can they not keep their governments in order? And now countries around the world look at us. And declare our government corrupt. Why can we not keep our government in order?
How have we reached new levels of lying and cronyism? Ridiculous heights of unchecked power? Unaccountability? Money driving legislation and elections? Recklessness?
I walked around the Wisconsin State Capitol yesterday, over the body outlines chalked on the sidewalk. With names and dates. Of people from my state who died in Iraq. Dead.
I’m not going to miss the fireworks. I’ve hated them ever since I was a little girl. They’ve scared the shit out of me. Isn’t that what they’re supposed to do though? Simulate bombs?
Today I will not celebrate my country. I will weep for it. It has gone too far. And gone on too long. And I am saturated with rage.
posted by Lucia @ 1:17 PM
13 Comments:
amen.
I will not watch the fireworks either, but i will hear them long into the night. And i will think about how all that money could have been spent on something good.
My seven year old was asking about what today meant. What we were celebrating, etc... my 12 yr old stepson answered simply - Our independence from a controlling country. I couldn't speak much after that.....
Well said.
Normally, I'm proud to be Canadian, but lately our leader has been following too closely in the footsteps of yours.
Thoughts like this can lead to something very good and very dangerous: change. I don't know about your side of the 49th, Lucia, but up here the rumblings are becoming very clear. By the pricking of my thumbs, something changed this way comes.
I have always liked the silent, brightly colored sparkly fireworks from a safe distance... but I cannot stand those firecrackers and cherry bombs, etc that just make noise. Which is what primarily gets set off in my 'hood for a week before and a week after the 4th of July. Seriously people, GROW UP.
Hi Lucia - I am in the States! Watched the fireworks last night over Berkeley and SanFrancisco from some hill in Berkeley - pretty cool.
In Malaysia, well it's not perfect, there's cronyism and corruption aplenty and I'm sure it's publicized that we do, but ppl still get pretty happy on Independence Day - it's our 50th this year. Maybe we're still pretty young as a country, that's why.
Obviously, you're not alone. Sitting in bed last night while the downtown fireworks 7 blocks away rattled the windows and shook the nerves of my little beagle, my girlfriend and I looked cuddled a little closer and both imagined what it would be like if we lived in a war zone. What would the sudden jolts be like if when we heard the BOOM, we knew that someone very near had been melted and torn a part.
It saddens me.
am shoulder to shoulder, friend.
there is no freedom here.
Hi Lucia,
I'm a real fan of early American history. I love learning about John and Abigail Adams, T. Jefferson, General Washington. But I do not celebrate the 4th of July. Especially not under the current nightmare.
It irritated me last night to hear people screaming "hooo hoooo" and throwing firecrackers. It sounded like the American troups had invaded my own city. Yesterday was not Independence Day. It was Scudder Libby Day. It was Bloody Murder in Iraq Day. It was Day of Disgrace Day.
I am so ashamed of this country right now. But I refuse to give in to cynicism. I am reading "The Assault on Reason" by Al Gore. He urges each of us to steer America back on course.
beautiful post
I've washed my hands of this country.
I feel neither pride nor shame anymore; I see it as something completely separate from me.
I still believe in the big issues, Peace, Feedom, Equality. "America" is an obstacle, but it's not insurmountable.
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