I have never been a big fan of the 4th of July, nor have I ever been especially patriotic. During my senior year of high school, I refused to say the pledge of allegiance because I did not, in fact, pledge my allegiance to the USA. I am sure it was against school rules for me to refuse, but luckily my homeroom teacher was the advisor of our school newspaper ( I was the editor at the time), and he decided I was generally a good kid who usually followed the rules and let me enact my principles on this one. This year, my Facebook feed is blowing up with stories about people planning to protest today’s festivities or wondering how they can possibly celebrate America. How can we celebrate when there are children sitting in cages in concentration camps, and families trying to get by on minimum wage and no health insurance, and Black people being murdered by the police, and Indigenous communities being ravaged for oil, and reproductive rights being dismantled? How can we celebrate when we have a President who lies, rapes, cheats, and steals? While protesting the day is certainly a viable option (and mine), I can understand why people would want to enjoy a holiday with their friends and family. In this country in particular where we claim bragging rights for working too much and sleeping too little and where we don’t have mandatory paid sick leave or vacation, I do not begrudge people the holiday. Instead, I say—lean into it. That’s right—if you are going to celebrate the 4th of July, really celebrate it. Take time to talk about why the holiday exists and reflect on what it means today. Read the Declaration of Independence out loud at your BBQ and ask people to discuss it. Yes, they will moan and groan as they do at Thanksgiving when you ask them to share something for which they are grateful (for thoughts about Thanksgiving, read here), but hey, that is the price of admission. Really, though. When is the last time you read the Declaration of Independence? Don’t get me wrong; I don’t think it is a perfect document nor one written with divine inspiration. That most famous line…that all men are created equal… is rather problematic (how about us women?) and has never been realized for people of color. Nevertheless, there are some pretty important things in the document that you should consider—including a long list of the wrongs done by the King of England, which are eerily and terrifyingly familiar. The Declaration is also a reminder to the people that we have an obligation to hold our government accountable: “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” So on this day, I say, take stock. Talk to your friends, and family members, and co-workers, and children about how our nation is doing. Go ahead and honor and celebrate the things you think we are doing well—I am certainly grateful that I have the right to criticize the government without going to jail. But don’t forget that our rights are fragile. Talk about what we can do better as a nation, and how you personally are going to contribute. We each have important roles to play in improving our communities. If you are already involved in efforts to fix social problems then great! Keep it up! Talk to your BBQ peeps about it! You just might motivate and inspire them. And if you are feeling a little overwhelmed with all the issues facing this country and don’t know where to start, just know that you are not alone. But you don’t have to solve everything at once. As Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze say in their book “Walk Out, Walk On:” Start anywhere, follow it everywhere. Big change starts with small changes made by people who are truly committed. Pick an issue that matters to you. Work locally. Contribute your unique talents and strengths. Build coalitions. The Declaration of Independence ends: “We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” What do you pledge to do? Britney G Brinkman, PhD Comments are closed.
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AboutEMPOWERTAINMENT aims to take a critical look at media in regards to how gender and women/girls are portrayed. From popular articles, videos, and websites, to original submissions, we want to not only examine the media and its relation to gender, but help shift it. Archives
November 2017
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