It’s been over 200 years since that first Independence Day and we, as a country, have celebrated this momentous event every year since. What we’ve forgotten, however, is that despite our Declaration of Independence, we kept many of the odious parts of Colonial Rule.
Join me beneath the fold to discuss.
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3 bad things spring immediately to mind:
- We kept the idea that it’s just fine to enslave people based solely on the color of their skin (only an edict from the Pope prevented the Native American people from enslavement after the Americas were discovered). Even 241 years later we have yet to fully acknowledge, much less overcome, all the harm that this has caused to their descendants and to our country.
- We also kept the idea that that only land owning white men were entitled to vote for their representatives. Women didn’t get the right to vote until the early 20th century and efforts are still being made to prevent people of color from their right to access the ballot box.
- An enormous and unsustainable national ego. No, we don’t rule the world.
I’m sure there are plenty more bad things that we imported from Britain that didn’t immediately come to mind, so feel free to mention them in your comments below. We forget that the best lead by example.
We can’t just blame the Brits, however. We’ve developed some very bad ideas on our own:
- The enormous and expanding role of money/bribery in politics, elected office, and elections.
- Gerrymandering (need I say more).
- War and/or massive defense spending to profit corporations.
- The idea that someone “needs" to profit from common good areas such as health care and education.
- The idea that it’s just fine to have such extensive poverty, homelessness, and for workers to need 2 or 3 jobs to support a family (Thanks, Reagan).
So, while you’re celebrating the anniversary of our freedom, take a little to time remember that we still have a long, long way to go before we can truly become the land of the free or the shining city on the hill.
Addendum:
Remember me? I last wrote for Top Comments on October 22, 2016.
Had my last chemo just a bit more than a month ago. Still have the IV ports (picc lines) in, but they’re due for removal in a week after I have a repeat CT scan to make sure the Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is gone. Still fighting with the heart failure (mostly with the Cardiology Clinic who are “sure” that I won’t recover full function after the chemo is over), but I felt well enough today to fill a hole in the Top Comments schedule. Walking farther with the walker and hoping for the day that the walker is no longer required (it's too stinkin’ heavy for me to lift into my hatchback, therefore I can’t drive myself).
There are picket signs that have been missing me. I have been missing them, too. Hope to be on the front lines again soon to continue the fight.
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TOP COMMENTS June 30, 2017
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From an unknown submitter (please remember to include your user name when using our Gmail address):
I haven't read many comments at all yet this morning, but it's quite clear this one in the excellent small diary about Nicolle Wallace's calling out 45's latest misogyny will be one of the best all day!
From peregrine kate:
I really like this direct and forceful comment by Constance Hilliard in response to KrystalMBall's diary about the kind of candidate/campaign Dems need most.
TOP MOJO from June 29, 2017
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TOP PHOTOS June 29, 2017
Enjoy jotter's wonderful *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo. Have fun, Kossacks!
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