Yes, I am hungry for a nation to be truly free, not dictated by authoritarians, not directed by the wealthy, not feeling we are Christian Nationalist – rather one that meets people where they are with love, support, comfort, caring hearts for everyone. That is my freedom and it is not something I ever want to give up. May we continue to grow as a people and a nation. May we continue to strive for a July 4th that does more than echo the promise of that lofty declaration.  

Dear Neighbor, 

I am always anxious and puzzled by July 4th. I have known it as an important day, a holiday in which we shoot off fireworks, and as children, run with sparklers through the community. I was reminded of its importance by historians. I found it to be a holiday of joy and cheers and one to be proud of. It was thought to be sacred. And to this day, I can see why we have it and why I should stand strong with my past, my history, and embrace that feeling that there is a whole lot to be proud of about our country..  

In my adulthood, I traveled to over 40 countries. I have never been spat on, yelled at, offended by, or ashamed by others while visiting another country as an individual. BUT sadly, my country was not as appreciated, loved, or respected in the way I was as an individual. In conversations many would ask why my country does what it does to them, to their country. They did not personally blame me, but they had puzzled feelings about the  “us,” the United States. 

I was free – whatever that meant – but what I thought was benefiting them was often, in their eyes, colonizing them. I had to ask, was our assistance just political and not truly supportive of true needs? I found myself looking at my country differently. 

In my lifetime, blacks, browns, women, the disabled, gays/lesbians and poor were treated differently and still are. All in our country have not been free. In my lifetime these things have been true; no blacks were in my school, no woman could have her own charge card without a man co-signing till the 70s, the disabled suffered entrance to buildings. Those of us in low paying jobs still suffer.  

I am a male, a white male, and I have freedoms to this day that my friends of color, my spouse and others do not have. The laws are there but not the spirit of our Declaration of Independence.  On July 4, 1776, only white, males with land were free. The moral claims of the free nation didn’t include all of us. And in present day education, many historical truths are banned, because we would rather teach all that is good about us. Our fear of ‘wokeness’ is evident. Where is our freedom?

Yes, I am an American. I am not the American who is nostalgic, or caught up in the national mythology of freedom. I am not trying to compromise the soul of the nation. I just want to apologize for my part in supporting, through my silence, my embarrassment of being a citizen.

Yes, I am hungry for a nation to be truly free, not dictated by authoritarians, not directed by the wealthy, not feeling we are Christian Nationalist – rather one that meets people where they are with love, support, comfort, caring hearts for everyone. That is my freedom and it is not something I ever want to give up. May we continue to grow as a people and a nation. May we continue to strive for a July 4th that does more than echo the promise of that lofty declaration.  

“Dear Neighbor” authors are united in a belief that civility and passion can coexist. We believe curiosity and conversation make us a better community.