What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass-fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy-a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States at this very hour.
-- Frederick Douglass, Independence Day Speech at Rochester, 1852

Though delivered 166 years ago, the sentiments of Frederick Douglass’ speech still ring true. Ours is still a nation of chest-beating autocrats who beget chaos and confusion throughout the world in the name of democracy and social equality. We live in a nation that carries the national banner of liberty for all, but in actuality, true freedom for all is a fleeting thing for many of us.

In 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the 13 colonies declared their political independence from Great Britain, standing on the statements that “all men are created equal” and have, as given by God, the “Inalienable rights” of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” that pronouncement did not include, as you know, slaves who, without a doubt, also carried inalienable rights or human rights that were fundamental and God-given. Though some of the signers of the Declaration made arguments against slavery, those assertions were not included in the final draft and thus slavery, a barefaced act against God-given human rights, persisted.

So, when Fred Douglass was asked to give a speech at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, he gave them pure hell, asking if they meant to mock him, a Black man, by asking him to deliver such speech. Imagine the astonished faces of the Rochester, New York audience as they were castigated for their hypocritical behavior! Bet they didn’t invite him to speak again.

However, as you consider this today – the fact that at one time, Africans Americans and others weren’t included in the colonial declarations of freedom – consider also that now you do have some freedoms and in no way can you take them lightly. Consider that you are free to choose who you will be and how you will present that person you are. Ask yourself whether you’re honoring the freedom to choose your Self.

Consider also that you are free to eat hot dogs and apple pie without the threat of a lashing or water hoses to your back. You can now barbeque pig and chicken instead of eating their remains from the big house. You can celebrate independence from the backward thinking of separate but equal and shoot fireworks because you are proud of the inroads you’ve made even in the course of living in the pretentious democracy of America.

As you remain mindful of where you’re expending your freedom – arrogant America – remind yourself that you now have the choice to go anywhere you want to. You can travel away from home, across the railroad tracks, order a plate or two from the Walgreens lunch counters, visit the Queen of Great Britain, reconnect with lost family in West Africa, then return to America and kick your feet up in a hammock and enjoy the accoutrements of Independence Day.

So the first few Independence Days weren’t built with you in mind. Now, since you can exercise your mind’s ideas, celebrate your freedoms, all of them, in any way you want to. Even if you do nothing on this 4th of July, you have the freedom to do that. We’ve come a long way, fought many fights, shed many tears, and endured much pain. No matter how this day is construed, you have a right to celebrate your personal independence even as you live among tyrants. Today, celebrate!

Sadiqqa © 2007