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Juan Matute's avatar
Rowshan Nemazee's avatar

And a very happy Independence Day to you and to all on this substack.

These words are extremely beautiful — they cut to the core of my being. I had memorized them as a child, many decades before becoming a naturalized citizen of the US. They meant everything to me, even though I had never lived here — all the more so when I took my oath of allegiance to a country I have loved since early childhood. What a wonderful day that was! I beamed with pride.

These words still move me, but now, I repeat them with a profound sense of regret, because they have never been fully accurate. I feel that the time has come for “we the people” to uphold their veracity. Our equality has never been less true than in these turbulent times, when our black kin, indigenous people, other persons of color, and our LGBTQ communities continue to struggle for their inalienable rights, especially “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” — even Covid-19 discriminates against them.

Today, I was listening to the words of Frederick Douglass on what Independence Day means to black citizens. It was being read on NPR by a young ancestor of his. I then googled it and read it for myself. What does it mean to them today? I can’t even begin to imagine!

How can the exquisite words of the Declaration of Independence fill our hearts and our minds with resounding joy, because they are being upheld by all — because, at long last, all citizens of this magnificent land stand for its principles of “Liberty and Justice for all?”

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Margaret Mazzaferro's avatar

Heather, your measured voice is such an important part of my staying informed. Thank you.

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