Tomorrow is the holiday July 4th, so called “independence day”, a fact which has had me wanting to talk about independence and what it means to everyone.
Independence.
Tomorrow we will all gather to celebrate Independence Day in the year 2017. What does the word independence mean in the world right now? As a person with a disability this word is associated with getting assistance with things I cannot do because of my disability, but that meaning is not the same for everyone. To people of color it could mean having the freedom to go somewhere without the fear of racially fueled occurrences. For an immigrant it could mean not having to be in constant fear of being torn away from their families. For a person who is part of the LBGTQ community it could mean feeling safe to use the bathroom they feel comfortable using. For women it could mean to feel confident that their gynecological care is available to them. And for the poor to feel they live in a country that will give them opportunities if they work hard no matter what their race, gender, sexual preference or ability is. We are Americans. We all deserve our independence and must fight however we can to get it. That is the most patriotic thing we can do.
Happy Independence Day, here’s to a future america where all are truly independent!
Like this ? Then
