Whose 4th, our 4th?

"For it is not light that is needed, but fire; 
it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, 
the whirlwind, the earthquake. 
The feeling of the nation must be quickened; 
the conscience of the nation must be roused; the 
propriety of the nation must be startled; 
the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; 
and the crimes against God and man 
must be proclaimed and denounced."

What, to The Slave, is Your 4th of July-Frederick Douglass, Read by James Earl Jones

Today is the 4th of July, the day the United States celebrates its freedom, but, for many, freedom is elusive. For wonen, especially of color, the amont of control they have over their bodies is a function of where they live or whether they can travel. LGBTQ+ Americans now find they can be discriminated against based on the religion of a business owner. Young people of color now see their educational opportunities limited and are still under constant threat from the police and white reactionaries. Millions of Americans, especially people of color, sit in cells.

Instead of agonizing, today could be a day to organize and mobilize. Instead of celebrating America's independence, or at least White, Male, America's independence, turn today into a day of action!

These actions could take many forms. Concerts, featuring the acts that mainsteam 4th of July events often leave off the stage, organizational fairs, or a teach-in, where the groups that make up the "boots on the ground" could reach out to educate and recruit, or mass mutual aid actions like a cookout for the homeless orgainzed by the local Food Not Bombs. Activists pride themselves on a diversity of tactics, lets see what they can come up with for this