OUR DAY OF INDEPENDENCE IS OVER. For many of us, we are currently dependent on aspirin, aloe vera, some quiet time, and perhaps a bloody Mary.
Unlike other holidays, Independence Day traditionally involves a lot of potentially illegal activities. No firecrackers allowed, no bottle rockets, no Roman candles. Public picnic intoxication and driving to and fro will keep rangers and law enforcement working overtime. Lady Liberty looks different from the back seat of a squad car. Overtime for law enforcement isn’t as closely associated with Valentine’s Day or Christmas. New Year’s Eve keeps the troops busy, but the holiday only lasts a second and many are asleep by then.
I’m campaigning for expansion of this sacred July holiday to include all forms of independence. What is it we currently celebrate? Independence from England? Really? It’s still that big of a deal to celebrate London’s defeat? We need a holiday update.
Dependency in its many forms can be ugly, and what nobler effort is there than freeing ourselves from all its forms? We need air, water, food, shelter, empathy, and love. Beyond that is mostly preference.
July 4 can be a day where we each, individually, declare our independence from that which haunts us most. The list of options can be long. People can declare their independence from drugs and alcohol. Folks can break away from bad relationships, quit crappy jobs, and put down their damn phones for a few days.
We can break our dependency on feeling good based on other people’s opinions of us. We don’t need Facebook likes to be worthy.
We can end our dependence on excess water usage. Let’s end the desire to own a green lawn. Let’s stop building false images by purchasing too much car, too much house, and too many expensive electronics and leather goods that bust our budgets and drive us into debt. If we free ourselves from image building, we put an end to much excess.
We can as a nation declare our independence from foreign oil. We can celebrate by using only renewable energy for 24 hours. That would be a symbolic gesture, but it could spread. Imagine if for one day the sky was free of airplanes? You know what might happen? The same thing that happened the only other modern time when our planes were grounded for days after the 9/11 attack — we had a massive temperature spike because we didn’t have air pollution to protect us from global warming. Imagine how hot it could get if we stopped flying for a week? Ending air pollution could be killer, dude! Everyone would join the move to fight climate change.
We can mandate our independence from our current war-based economy. Let’s take those plowshares that we pounded into swords and return them to their original face. People can write to their government representatives and assure them that if their local munitions factory lays off workers, they won’t lose votes. Politicians can campaign on a platform of retooling America.
Let’s break our dependence on Fox News to warp reality to feed our basest instincts. Let’s free ourselves of the belief that billionaires with free reign will save Americans from poverty and decline. Let’s free ourselves from the illusion that corporatocracy, not democracy, is most interested in the greater good for all Americans.
For too long the agenda of the 1 percent has been disguising itself masterfully as the keystone platform of the Republican Party. It’s a lie. It’s a trick of propaganda. I know the Republican Party. I grew up with it. Then it got kidnapped and twisted into something mean, dangerous, and exclusive.
Let’s bring back true-blue altruistic small-r republican values. Here is that original definition that has been buried under much hype about tax cuts for the rich, race baiting, misogyny, health care as a handout to moochers, and voter restrictions: “Republicanism … stresses liberty and ‘unalienable’ rights as central values, makes the people as a whole sovereign, rejects aristocracy and inherited political power, expects citizens to be independent in their performance of civic duties, and vilifies corruption.” We haven’t seen a lot of that lately.
Let’s free ourselves of propaganda through better education. Not enough time is spent teaching children to be discerning, evaluative, and critical. They can’t distinguish between objectivity and subjectivity. Too many grow up not knowing a fact from an opinion, and it leaves them perpetually muddled. We need good, hard, basic philosophy classes that directly teach ethics, morality, justice, and independence.
Let’s free ourselves from our hangups about who loves who. What’s it matter to me if married guys and married girls live next door and adopt children and get health care and visitation rights? Let’s free ourselves of the belief that God parses love, or that he only loves those who love him back, or those who fear him. Good is good. Care is caring. Love is lovely. Simple is best for mass liberation.
July 5 marks our 29th wedding anniversary. Some dependencies are keepers.
Steve Gibbs teaches at Benicia High School and has written a column for The Herald since 1985.
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“Let’s free ourselves from our hangups about who loves who. What’s it matter to me if married guys and married girls live next door and adopt children and get health care and visitation rights? Let’s free ourselves of the belief that God parses love, or that he only loves those who love him back, or those who fear him. Good is good. Care is caring. Love is lovely. Simple is best for mass liberation.”
Steve, that is crazy talk. What you propose can only lead to Christian persecution.
Wonderful piece, Mr. Gibbs!!
From the article below:
” Let’s free ourselves of the belief that billionaires with free reign will save Americans from poverty and decline. Let’s free ourselves from the illusion that corporatocracy, not democracy, is most interested in the greater good for all Americans. ”
“For too long the agenda of the 1 percent has been disguising itself masterfully as the keystone platform of the Republican Party. It’s a lie. It’s a trick of propaganda. I know the Republican Party. I grew up with it. Then it got kidnapped and twisted into something mean, dangerous, and exclusive. ”
“Let’s bring back true-blue altruistic small-r republican values. Here is that original definition that has been buried under much hype about tax cuts for the rich, race baiting, misogyny, health care as a handout to moochers, and voter restrictions: “Republicanism … stresses liberty and ‘unalienable’ rights as central values, makes the people as a whole sovereign, rejects aristocracy and inherited political power, expects citizens to be independent in their performance of civic duties, and vilifies corruption.” We haven’t seen a lot of that lately.”
From the post below: more information and good news our community and appointed and elected officials can use…
“Defying Troika, Greece Chooses ‘Democracy Over Fear’ With ‘No’ Vote on Austerity”-
-“‘For the first time in history, austerity politics have been put to a popular vote and they have been resoundingly rejected,’ says Nick Dearden of Global Justice Now’
Key quote to contemplate from the Greek vote:
“Today is a day of celebration, because democracy is a celebration, it is joy,” …. “And when democracy overcomes fear and extortion, then it becomes a redemption and a way out. The Greek people today send a very strong message. A message of dignity and determination. The message that they hold a choice in their hands. No one can ignore the will of a people to live. To live with determination and take their life in their own hands.”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/07/05/defying-troika-greece-chooses-democracy-over-fear-no-vote-austerity
Will this may be the only thing you write that I have even a partial agreement with. The big issue is Germany. It is destroying the EU for their own gain AND power over Europe. Good by EU. Many now will think twice about what just happened and could also exit. Bad news for Germany. Here comes the Russians to the support of Germany. Now the USA will step in big time and be the provider of all the fossil fuel the balance of the EU needs… President Obama will ok it. Watch that EU currency take a step dive and the American dollar comes to the rescue. Off topic but a good answer to Will.
Will the good thing about this is the Germans just got their b utt kicked. Sorry Angela it is over unless you team up with Russia. That would be good ,for ,the rest ,of ,the world because we would now know that your East German upbringing did not go to waist. Except in the rest of the world. Bye bye Germany, you are no ally. Germany just mad3e a big mistake and the rest of the EU fully understand that.
Got you by a few years. July 4th is our 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. I have thre chikldren, six grand children and three great grand children. And yes I am a very conservative Republic.an. My wife a very Liberal Democrat. So as you see different ideals can exist and accomplish great things. We have.
Wooo!!!, 50 years is a long time Bob, congratulations to you and your wife on a job well done
Thank you
Congratulations Bob! That is great. Your wife must have the patience of a saint! 😉
Thanks Dennis I do understand what you are saying. But has anyone ever suggest ed that ,maybe she understands what I stande FOR and agrees. Just a comment that I will let others sleep on. i challenge anyone to even come close to what my wife and I ,have done over ,our life. Believe me it has more to do with human understanding and ,help for all. Try it and then judge.
Bob,
My wife and I will be celebrating our 40th in September, the running joke in our house is to say: We have been married 38 wonderful years and 38 out of 40 is not bad! You know a day here and a day there, it all adds up.
40 years, time has flown by Dennis, Congrats to you and Nancy
They sure have! Seems like only a short time ago that we were riding around in that ’57 Ford of yours!