4 July 2005 - 3:00am
Celebrating Independence Day
This is a day of BBQs and beer, frisbee tossing and kite flying, flag waving and beer, getting sunburned and cooling off in the evening watching fireworks, and drinking beer.
This is also a day that comemorates our nationa's declaration of independence from a powerful empire ruled by a man who did not care about us, only what he could get from us ... from a world of nations where religious practices were dictated by the governments ... from a community of nations that could not stop meddling in each others' affairs.
Don't tread on me!
It wasn't about taxes, although that was a part of it. It wasn't about bowing to a "divine" ruler, although that was a part of it. It was about liberty. It was about freedom. It was about not being told what work to do, what God to worship, what ruler to pay tribute.
Our democracy had a lot of growing to do after 1776. We had to win a war of independence. We had to write and ratify a Consitution. We had to elect our leaders, and they had to honor the law and step down when their terms ended. We had to deal with the stain of slavery on our nation's soul. We still have to deal with the genocide of the non-Europeans who already lived here as our nation expanded. We have to deal with what our role should be in the global neighborhood.
And we still have to confront our most-pressing question: Are women truly equal? From what we see from many quarters, a lot of people don't seem to think so. A lot of people seem to think that women are not deserving of equal protection under the law.
But this is a nation of liberty. Freedom. On this day, may we all ponder what that means.
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Many of us have seen the play "Inherit the Wind." It is dramatization of the famous "Monkey Trial" that took place almost eighty years ago to the day. A high school biology teacher is tried for breaking the law by teaching Darwin to his high school students.
In the courtroom of the play, there is an inscription saying "read your Bible." The defense attorney wants a banner put up as well - in fairness - that goes "read your Darwin."
That most venerable of documents - The Declaration of Independence - goes largely unread on July the Fourth. The fireworks are too pretty and who can get a good bead on that loft language of Jefferson, Franklin and Madison once we get a good beer buzz going with a case of Sam Adams?
Yet, for me, rereading the document is my way of observing this day. It is powerful and poetic.
There are those who want us to "read our Bibles."
I say, let's do that after we "read our Constitution."
Women are not equal in America.
Gays are not equal in America.
People of color are not equal in America.
Non-Christians are not equal in America.
Disabled persons are not equal in America.
The poor are not equal in America.