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Jul. 4th, 2011 09:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
openscarfAs I listen to the boom-boom celebration of the US's birthday, I don't feel the meaning behind it all, in fact I feel sad and I wonder what Native Americans think of this day.
This country gained independence from the British and claimed a land mass as their own, while ignoring or cheating or moving or killing the indigenous people that lived here. I'm second generation, my grandparents came here from the Middle East to to escape being massacred. Does any country gain independence without steamrolling over another culture and millions of people?
I'm not sure "independence" is the right word for a country. The US isn't under another country's thumb, but financially don't we belong to China? And aren't the corporations calling all the shots? And don't we find ourselves in the position of fighting for rights that are being threatened, like woman's health care, social security, a living wage, workers rights, healthy food and water, etc etc etc...?
It seems like once the initial independence is won, it all turns to shit, because the power has simply shifted. Power corrupts, they say. Why do people want it so much? How do I, in my own life, seek power? I don't want to, that's for sure.
I don't believe in nationalism, I think it's racist and ignorant. I'm glad I grew up here but it doesn't make me better than anyone else. There are other countries my people wouldn't have been killed that I could have grown up in. We don't even know where everyone went. Some went to France.
Sure I like fireworks and parties, but I don't know what this day really means anymore. I've outgrown the spin. Most of us believe in the idealism and ideas of this nation, but the US today isn't what Ben and Thomas had in mind, in my opinion.
This country gained independence from the British and claimed a land mass as their own, while ignoring or cheating or moving or killing the indigenous people that lived here. I'm second generation, my grandparents came here from the Middle East to to escape being massacred. Does any country gain independence without steamrolling over another culture and millions of people?
I'm not sure "independence" is the right word for a country. The US isn't under another country's thumb, but financially don't we belong to China? And aren't the corporations calling all the shots? And don't we find ourselves in the position of fighting for rights that are being threatened, like woman's health care, social security, a living wage, workers rights, healthy food and water, etc etc etc...?
It seems like once the initial independence is won, it all turns to shit, because the power has simply shifted. Power corrupts, they say. Why do people want it so much? How do I, in my own life, seek power? I don't want to, that's for sure.
I don't believe in nationalism, I think it's racist and ignorant. I'm glad I grew up here but it doesn't make me better than anyone else. There are other countries my people wouldn't have been killed that I could have grown up in. We don't even know where everyone went. Some went to France.
Sure I like fireworks and parties, but I don't know what this day really means anymore. I've outgrown the spin. Most of us believe in the idealism and ideas of this nation, but the US today isn't what Ben and Thomas had in mind, in my opinion.
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Re: One more thing.
Date: 2011-07-06 01:53 am (UTC)I'll pass that on to you. The world be certainly be different if Cynthia were in charge.
We're all biased towards our unique life journey, the people we encounter along the way, hardships, triumphs and how they shape our views. I have learned EVERYTHING is subject to change. One unexpected turn in life can alter our perception of our world. And I know you know that.
Yes, I love the story of Jose Antonio Vargas. He represents the side of immigration, legal or not, many people fail to see. He's a good kid, intelligent, trying to make good in his life. This is why the Citizen USA doc is so good. There are many people like him. The word immigrant has been stained by negative stereotypes that must be corrected by educated immigrants coming forward, as Vargas did.
Off the grid sounds great .... if I didn't need a job.
Re: One more thing.
Date: 2011-07-06 02:31 am (UTC)