"My spirit's still unbroken." - Bah Samba, Drifting
I always struggle with this holiday. What do we celebrate? If it's about 1776 and the Declaration of Independence, The ongoing institution of slavery that would continue in America for well over another half-century stops me from raising my glass fully. If it is about revolution in general and the ability of the disenfranchised to overcome tyranny, well, that I can get with, but You might pull your glass away from mine as I toast to John Brown in the same breath as your toast to Washington or Jefferson or, even, Ol' Crispus.
You see, as I enjoy this holiday out on the deck of my soon to be in-laws North Carolina home drinking a cool beverage, eating ribs, and reading about The World That Made New Orleans and, by extension, America, I'm identifying with and celebrating the power of that human desire for independence, nation of origin be damned. I'm celebrating Enslaved peoples fight to maintain cultural ties in the face of the violence of our country's forefathers. Enslaved people who fought and killed for their own freedom.
And while I am grateful for all that the good ol' USA has afforded me, I don't want to forget our often nasty history, a history that has rarely been favorable to people who look like me.
So, cheers. To Independence and freedom and revolution. May we fight for it even if that means occasionally we fight each other.
Like right now, I will fight you for these ribs.