The Fourth and Freedom

 

I had a very conflicted day on 7/4/2022.  On the one hand, we did, on the 185th day of 2022, host our usual July 4th BBQ.  And we had friends and food and family and fun and, at the end as usual, we watched fireworks from our front lawn as Collingswood put on their usual great show.  On the other hand, my patriotism is waning.  Usually, I have a speaker and I have a playlist of patriotic music but, this year, initially, I chose not to play it.  Because my Two for 2022 today are The Fourth and Freedom.  I do not think we are living in an America right now where all are free.  Women are rapidly losing their freedom to necessary healthcare procedures.  People seeking asylum and a better life for themselves and their family are being detained and turned away.  We over incarcerate in this country, especially the poor and people of color.  And people's freedom to vote is being limited by some in government who fear the power of the people's voice and are franticly grasping at power by trying to make it difficult or impossible for people to have a say.  There are lot of freedoms that are limited and, today, I am NOT proud to be an American (with apologies to Lee Greenwood), but I am also not giving up on America either.  As my friend Dan posted today, "the ability to openly question freedoms being challenged is a freedom itself."  So let's all keep expressing our freedom to dissent and let's all work together to stem this tide of negative events and turn the corner to make this the place we know it can be!  HAPPY FOURTH!  May injustice be stemmed and justice truly be FOR ALL!