Wow, 250 years! Not many thought we would last this long. America, like her creators, is far from perfect. It's no wonder we are the land of crazy ideas, conspiracy theories and magical thinking. What else could we expect from being settled by religious fanatics like the Shakers, Puritans and the Oneida. We cannot forget George Carlin's contribution to American history that reminded us we were also founded by a bunch of slave owners who wanted freedom. Along with the hard-working settlers who tamed the West were also the snake oil salesman, con-men, robber barons, bank robbers along with a smattering of serial killers. Our history is full of blemishes, warts and full on horrors like slavery and genocide. You might be thinking to yourself why should we even celebrate the 4th of July / 250th year? We celebrate to commemorate the progress and the eternal hope for a better future. Stick with me a minute.
Despite the numerous horrors in our history, there have also been gains, both big and small. Yes, it took a long and grim Civil War to finally bring slavery to an end. Let's add another century on to that for African Americans to get the power of the vote. Here in the middle of the 2020s, things are still not well. Sadly, racism, bigotry and homophobia still flourish. In my opinion these are tools the oligarchy uses to maintain power ( that's a discussion for another time). American Indians remain one of our most marginalized groups to this day. Progress for women's rights has been long and painful and is still incomplete. Misogyny is alive and well even here in the 2020s. All of that said, we have moved the needle in the right direction. I would like to think African Americans and women are better off than they were a generation or two ago. Maybe that's being too broad? The plight of our Native American brothers and sisters still remains grim. Hopefully, this too will change with more awareness and investment in things like healthcare, education and infrastructure. We have to do better. The good news is we can do better.
Being a person with a physical disability, I'm thankful I live in America at this time. Only a generation or two ago I would have been written off and consigned to some kind of medical institution or other. Thanks to the work of others, I was able to go to school, have a career and even own my own home. I'm thinking of those who struggled for equal rights for those with disabilities. I think it's also worth noting I've had African American bosses and women supervisors. Now, I doubt Disability Rights was very high on the agenda for our founding fathers. They did create a system that was indeed capable of change. Changes for social justice never come quickly or easily.
We now find ourselves in an age of 24-hour news cycles, instant answers at our fingertips along with same-day delivery. The idea of being patient for anything has gone out the window! Social Justice work is never fast. It can take generations and you might even argue it never ends. We can always do better. Our current leadership wants to turn back the clock. This is certainly not the first time nor will it be the last. One thing remains certain, they are temporary. There are simply too many of us who will physically bend the arc towards justice. It won't bend itself. That's the struggle for us and why July 4th is still worth celebrating.
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