What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.
originally posted by zagg
Comments
I'm just wondering if you celebrated Juneteenth in your area? It seems like we've only started celebrating recently in San Francisco. Should be a national holiday.
Posted by: kate | July 5, 2002 2:45 PM
i am wondering if this entry is anachronic
( i mean the speak was in 1850s right. when slavery existed in real. ) not in this 21st century ?
Posted by: theshiva | July 5, 2002 4:30 PM
hey, i just came across your blog from blogger's recently-updated list. this article is really interesting, and i don't think it matters when it was written because it (unfortunately) still applies today.
Posted by: jessica | July 5, 2002 5:17 PM
hey, i just came across your blog from blogger's recently-updated list. this article is really interesting, and i don't think it matters when it was written because it (unfortunately) still applies today.
by the way, you can visit my blog at xalicex.blogspot.com, if you so desire.
Posted by: jessica | July 5, 2002 5:17 PM
er... sorry, accidentally pressed the button twice. oops.
Posted by: jessica | July 5, 2002 5:18 PM
There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.
Posted by: sudama | July 5, 2002 5:48 PM
On the flip side, there is not a country that has done as much good for the world as the United States has, at this very hour.
Posted by: Oliver | July 5, 2002 9:48 PM
Hmmm. I'm not so sure of that.
Posted by: nedlog | July 5, 2002 10:14 PM
Please, gentlemen, some specifics in your arguments. Name a few countries that have done as much good for the world. Maybe Sweden? (don't they give a lot of foreign aid)
oliver doesn't support his claim of American goodness, but nedlog doesn't support his disagreement. It's not much of a conversation of both parties are just saying "Yes!" "No!" "YES!" "NO!"
But, we are quite involved in international affairs, even if they aren't covered so thoroughly in the evening news. And we do more good than bad. Agree, disagree, just tell me why.
Posted by: Miss American Pie | July 5, 2002 11:23 PM
Guilty as charged. I was hoping Oliver would offer some examples and should have said so rather than be so brief. But giving foreign aid alone does not make us "good" -- you have to look at what the aid encourages, how it works, and so forth.
Posted by: nedlog | July 6, 2002 10:33 AM
this, zagg, is good stuff.
Posted by: doug | July 6, 2002 8:14 PM
this, zagg, is good stuff.
Posted by: doug | July 6, 2002 8:14 PM
I agree with oliver, adam and zagg. In a historical context, the US and its' citizens have done a great deal of good and evil, just like the Romans, the Chinese, Stalin, Lenin and all other empires throughout history. But I do think we have a unique moment in history where we can turn forces for the better.
Just a little Sunday positivity.
Posted by: david | July 7, 2002 6:47 PM
What did Adam say, dj?
Really it's impossible to know how much good or evil we've done -- we have no idea how things will play out in the decades and centuries to come.
Posted by: nedlog | July 8, 2002 10:45 AM
We contribute more financial aid to countries in need than anyone else, we also contribute food, clothing, etc. You may argue about free trade, but a lot of those people would not be employed otherwise. While we're quick to hold up despots to serve our own aims (cue Saudi Arabia) - there is also no stronger advocate for democracy than America (democracy is unabashedly good for business as well).
Posted by: Oliver | July 8, 2002 1:28 PM