While we celebrate July 4th and Independence Day this year by getting drunk and having cookouts, let’s not forget that not all of us were independent or “free” on July Fourth, 1776.
That’s right, folks, only white Europeans were granted independence on July 4, 1776. Blacks were still enslaved. And on this day, celebrating freedom, we must remember, “Freedom Is Not Free.”
A couple years ago in 2012, actor and comedian, Chris Rock, took to Twitter and stated, “Happy White Peoples independence day, the slaves weren’t free but I’m sure they enjoyed the fireworks.” This sparked a ton of controversy, many people still having Chris’s back in the backlash, however. Many libertarian and conservative bloggers, including David Burge and Jeff Schreiber, attacked Chris for what he said, their fans following right behind them. Although, where is Chris wrong? Some Europeans came over, stole people’s land by killing them off, took people from another continent and forced them to work by beating and killing their loved ones, and then, slavery was abolished, only for blacks to continue to be oppressed and then killed some more.
Whenever a person brings up that only one group of people were “freed,” that person will be called “unpatriotic,” and will most likely be attacked for just telling the truth. So, this Independence Day, no matter what race you are, remember this isn’t by any means Independence Day for everyone.
-Morgan Rowland
