Independence Day

THIS WEEKEND IS DEDICATED TO INDEPENDENCE DAY, NORMALLY A CELEBRATION OF FESTIVE FIREWORKS, TASTY BARBECUE, AND
UNDYING PATRIOTISM. A DAY THIS COUNTRY MARKS AS THE BEGINNING OF THE UNITED STATES WHERE MANY FLOURISHES WITH
PRIVILEGE AND UNIMPEDED OPPORTUNITY. THE DAY THE FOUNDERS OF THIS COUNTRY DECLARED REVOLUTION AND ROSE UP AGAINST
THE INJUSTICES THEY FACED, BOTH SYSTEMIC AND POLITICAL. AND SOON AFTER DEFEATED THEM, TO ENSURE AMERICA MATTERED
AND THAT ALL ITS PRIVILEGED PEOPLE COULD HAVE LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

HOWEVER, I DO NOT FEEL CELEBRATORY. I THINK ABOUT THIS YEAR, AND I SEE THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 AND THE DEVASTATION IT HAS
CAUSED IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. I THINK ABOUT THIS HOLIDAY AND INSTEAD OF EXCITEMENT, I FEEL SADNESS; INSTEAD
OF PATRIOTISM, I FEEL HEARTBREAK. THIS IS BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN THE BARBECUE PITS HAVE COOLED, WHEN THE GUESTS HAVE LEFT,
AND THE FIREWORKS HAVE CEASED, THERE ARE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY WITH BLACK SKIN THAT ARE STILL IN DANGER.
THE ESSENCE OF THIS HOLIDAY SHOULD GIVE ME HOPE, BUT IT DOES NOT. FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME, WE FEEL AS THOUGH WE
ARE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN. LIKE MOSES, WE CAN SEE THE PROMISED LAND, BUT CANNOT ENTER IN. THAT LIBERTY AND JUSTICE
IS FOR ALL, JUST NOT FOR US.

I CANNOT HELP BUT WONDER, HOW DO ALL LIVES MATTER? WHEN SO MANY PRECIOUS LIVES HAVE BEEN TAKEN
RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES. WE HAVE SEEN BLACK MEN SUFFOCATED AND CHOKED TO DEATH. WE HAVE HEARD THEM STRUGGLE WHILE
THEY TOOK THEIR LAST BREATH. WE HAVE SEEN A BLACK WOMAN SHOT AND KILLED IN HER OWN BED. SO, HOW CAN WE SAY ALL LIVES
MATTER IF THESE BEAUTIFUL BLACK LIVES DID NOT MATTER? WE WEEP, WE CRY, WE PROTEST, WE DETEST THE BRUTALITY AND UNLAWFUL
KILLING OF BLACK MEN AND WOMEN IN AMERICA. WE WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DID NOT REFLECT ON THE MANY LIVES LOST AT THE HANDS
OF THIS COUNTRY, IN THE ABSENCE OF THEIR RIGHT TO LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WE ARE TRYING. TRYING TO SURVIVE, TRYING TO
THRIVE, TRYING TO PURSUE HAPPINESS, AND TRYING TO MATTER. WE ARE TRYING TO LIVE OUR LIVES IN THE LAND
OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, YET THERE IS NO LIBERTY OR JUSTICE FOR US.

WE ARE LOSING OUR CHILDREN, OUR FATHERS, OUR MEN, AND OUR WOMEN. THEY ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY AND ERASED. ALL THE
WHILE, WE ARE CALLED VIOLENT AND THREATENING IN OUR PROTESTS FOR THEIR DEATHS. WE HAVE MARCHED, WE HAVE KNELT, WE HAVE
CRIED OUT FOR FREEDOM…THE FREEDOM OF LIBERTY AS IT HAS BEEN PROMISED TO US. EVERY TIME ONE OF US GOES OUT TO PROTEST, OR
SHOW SUPPORT, OR JUST GOES FOR A WALK; WE ARE IN DANGER. WE STARE DEATH IN THE FACE EVERYDAY WE WAKE UP IN OUR SKIN.
STILL, WE HAVE SHOWN THAT WE ARE WILLING TO RISK DEATH FOR OUR LIBERTY AND OUR JUSTICE, EVEN THOUGH, THIS HOLIDAY
SAYS WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO.

SO AGAIN, THE QUESTION IS HOW DO ALL LIVES TRULY MATTER, IF BLACK LIVES DO NOT MATTER?

-Sandra Evers-Manly