Thursday, July 4, 2019
Two hundred forty three years ago, America declared its independence from Great Britain.
In the years since, those 13 colonies grew to 50 states and 5 territories. We've weathered the industrial revolution, the sexual revolution,and two World Wars. We've grown into one of the world's most powerful industrial and economic powers. We've seen suffrage for women, civil rights for minorities, and affirmation of safe abortions, same sex marriage, and liberalization of marijuana.
We've also had our share of shameful episodes: Slavery and segregation in the South, Jim Crow laws, and racism today. Internment of Japanese citizens and imprisonment of migrant children. Anti-Semitism, Islamaphobia, misogyny, and homophobia--including mistreatment of transgender people. Distrust and mistreatment of immigrants--in spite of being a nation built by and for immigrants.
In the midst of the parades and fireworks, the BBQs and celebrations, it's important that we take time out to remember the words of our Founding Fathers:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Today, in 2019, the words of the Declaration of Independence still remain goals, not accomplishments. We have come far in nearly two and a half centuries, but we still have a long way to go.
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