View Full Version : American Independence Day
Happy birthday to the U.S. of A. I'm so grateful for the freedoms I have and often take for granted, especially seeing people in Egypt, Libya, and elsewhere putting their lives on the line to try to get the same. Enjoy your holiday everyone!
Happy Independence Day to all my American friends here!
Thanks. Some day perhaps this country will support the independence and self-determination of every country...
Day off work today and celebrated by watching "My Name is Khan" -- kind of hokey and melodramatic, but a nice overall message about the power of unity and love. Living in China makes me appreciate all the more the freedoms and the diversity our wonderful country offers to the world.
And I must say Shah Rukh Khan is a hottie, even when he's pretending to be autistic!
lhamo
Thanks. Some day perhaps this country will support the independence and self-determination of every country...
I hope we soon get a chance in another thread to discuss this in some detail. As for this thread. What a buzzkill. >:(
This day has always confounded me. On the one hand, I am a strong advocate of the experiment called democracy, having been raised by a Constitutional lawyer and a social justice advocate. I've spent much of my adult life working and agitating for democratic principles to be applied to those most marginalized - women, poor people, and people of color. On the other hand, I live in a country that was built upon the backs of Indigenous people and slaves, as well as actively suppressing the self-determination of marginalized people in this country as well as in other countries. I am not called to celebrate this.
This is a powerful summation:
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/douglass.htm
If you don't like this country... then LEAVE.
This day has always confounded me. On the one hand, I am a strong advocate of the experiment called democracy, having been raised by a Constitutional lawyer and a social justice advocate. I've spent much of my adult life working and agitating for democratic principles to be applied to those most marginalized - women, poor people, and people of color. On the other hand, I live in a country that was built upon the backs of Indigenous people and slaves, as well as actively suppressing the self-determination of marginalized people in this country as well as in other countries. I am not called to celebrate this.
This is a powerful summation:
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/douglass.htm
A wonderful way to kick off the evening of the 4th by reading Douglass’ speech. Your reflection is an example of what I would call a "true patriot". The word patriot to me describes an American who favors individual civil liberties and protects the American Republic from becoming a democracy. Dissent of the government is necessary to be a real patriot. This is a remarkable country, and it was even more remarkable before the financial sector bought every available politician. When things are actually going wrong, it's the duty of a responsible citizen to oppose it.
Thanks for the post, now I think I'll celebrate the 4th!
Peace
I also appreciate Redfox's post (and the link).
If you don't like this country... then LEAVE.
If you don't like this country, exercise your civil rights and work to change it! Make your case, run for office, declare a petition, engage the great Jeffersonian principles of authority resting upon the people. Read aloud that speech of Frederick Douglass cited above, and hear one of the greatest orators of our country, and work towards that free democracy he references so beautifully
I hope we soon get a chance in another thread to discuss this in some detail...
Yes, let's do! I would appreciate hearing the multitude of opinions on this topic
"True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else."
- Clarence Darrow
Redfox. The speech Frederick Douglass delivered has officially (as of today) become my favourite.
This day has always confounded me. On the one hand, I am a strong advocate of the experiment called democracy, having been raised by a Constitutional lawyer and a social justice advocate. I've spent much of my adult life working and agitating for democratic principles to be applied to those most marginalized - women, poor people, and people of color. On the other hand, I live in a country that was built upon the backs of Indigenous people and slaves, as well as actively suppressing the self-determination of marginalized people in this country as well as in other countries. I am not called to celebrate this.
This is a powerful summation:
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/douglass.htm
Yes, that is an inspirational speech, although it criticizes not a nation, but rather the actions and prejudices of it's citizens. If you're interested in Mr Douglass' thoughts on this country and it's constitution, you might enjoy this speech given eight years later. http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=1128 Some members may recognize it as I've posted a link to it previously.
If you want to forever judge a nation for the past abuses of it's citizens, if you judge the present by the past, you'll be forever at the mercy of something you cannont change.
Yes, that is an inspirational speech, although it criticizes not a nation, but rather the actions and prejudices of it's citizens... If you want to forever judge a nation for the past abuses of it's citizens, if you judge the present by the past, you'll be forever at the mercy of something you cannont change.
I don't see these as separable - for a nation is an aggregate of its citizens actions & prejudices; those one prefers as well as those one does not. Laws & policies codify those prejudices, many of which we've hotly debated in these postings.
We're a unique species that has the capacity for not merely learning from our experiences, but also to reflect upon them and engage in deliberative and epistemological analyses of it all; in order to make determined choices about what's next. As a nation, we have done this well in many areas - not so well in many too - and the judging of the nation by its past is critical to changing what one does not wish to continue. Just as each of us does in our private lives. Judging not as sentence, but as worthy reflection and necessary to understanding as we aspire to the free republic for which we blow things up today.
Ok, a cold beer has my name on it.
ˇAdiós, más tarde... !
I don't see these as separable - for a nation is an aggregate of its citizens actions & prejudices.
But they are. The nation was designed to a higher standard.
I am not called to celebrate this.
Perhaps we could celebrate how far our citizens actions and prejudices have come towards meeting the ideals the country was founded upon, if not the principles themselves?
Perhaps you could celebrate how far our citizens actions and prejudices have come towards meeting the ideals the country was founded upon?
Yep, that's exactly what I do at every demonstration march I attend! Thank you for looking for something I can celebrate - that's quite kind of you.
Here is what my niece, who is living in Rome posted:
"I wish you all a happy we-kicked-the-Brits'-butts-at-the-expense-of-the-Native-Americans-and-with-the-help-of-the-French Day! I'm mentally sticking my tongue out at all the Brits I see!"
Onward!
PS - http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/07/04/opinion/20110704_OPART.html?hp
Damn! Talk about self-hatred. Canada sends troops to other countries too, has mistreated its Native population too, etc. but I didn't see any comments like this on the Happy Canada Day post. No country is perfect like no marriage is perfect. I would hope people would see some merit in trying to love the one you're with.
Originally posted by Yppej.
Damn! Talk about self-hatred. Canada sends troops to other countries too, has mistreated its Native population too, etc. but I didn't see any comments like this on the Happy Canada Day post.I believe certain events (important events) at times, like this one, have a tendency to encourage/trigger reverberations and reactions. Freedom of speech is a powerful and important thing and although not everything that is, or will be said, will be embraced or accepted by everyone, I believe there's still a place for any/all interjection and voice, regardless of timing or occasion.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.