Whose Independence? - The Fourth of You Lie?

By Rhodesia Muhammad -Contributing Writer- | Last updated: Jul 3, 2018 - 12:26:19 PM

Historic photo picturing a view of the south lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., as the Foo Fighters performed during a Fourth of July celebration, July 4, 2009. Photo: MGN Online

The Fourth of July: whose freedom, whose independence?

There is a longtime contradiction between what America promises and what she delivers to Blacks in this country.

For many years, Black folks have celebrated the Fourth of July, the day commemorated as America’s Independence Day, the day colonists declared their freedom and intention to separate from the British Empire in 1776.

Since then barbecues, fireworks, picnics, family gatherings, parades, and alcohol consumption have become tradition in commemorating that day, even though Black people were not considered people when Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence. It stated, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” However, what was evident is the Founding Fathers made a determination that Blacks were less than human and only counted to the degree that their numbers benefited their slavemasters.

What are we truly celebrating?

“Hypocrisy?” says Julianne Malveaux, a Washington, D.C.-based writer and economist. “If we want to talk about freedom, justice, and equality, which is what we were promised, talk about all the young Black women and men; and I say women and men because we seem to forget that our women have been massacred also,” said Ms. Malveaux. “You can’t look at the number of them killed by so-called police and have a conversation about freedom, justice, and equality in the same breath. Our country is hypocritical and replete with lies. We see it at the borders, as Latino children, Central American children are being snatched from their mother’s breasts and we’ve seen this before with Black women during slavery, children snatched from their mother’s breasts after being sold,” she stated adamantly. “I call it the ‘Fourth of you lie’ because you lied, America, about justice and you continue to lie about everything that’s pure and right.”

“I think second only to Columbus Day, the Fourth of July means absolutely nothing to Black people in terms of the promises this country has consistently broken with us,” commented Ray Winbush, research professor and director of the Institute for Urban Research at Morgan State University in Baltimore. “Not only Black people, but Native Americans and women. People for get that it’s been less than a hundred years that women have been allowed to vote in this country. The Native Americans have been disenfranchised since they got here. So, the idea of freedom has always been reserved for White folks,” he added.

There’s always been a gap between what America professes and what America does, said Mr. Winbush.

For many years, Black people have celebrated the Fourth of July, the day commemorated as America’s Independence Day, the day colonists declared their freedom and intention to separate from the British Empire in 1776. Barbecues, fireworks, picnics, family gatherings, parades, and alcohol consumption have become tradition in commemorating that day, even though Black people were not considered people when Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence. Photo: MGN Online

The U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment gives the right to free speech and to peacefully assemble, yet many supporters of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick feel the decision to fine teams and not allow the player on the field to kneel in protest is a violation of First Amendment rights.

“That is a plantation behavior,” Mr. Winbush asserted. “Those are not slaves. They are Black men. Seventy percent of the NFL is Black. All we need to do is unite with each other on opening day of preseason and stay at home.”

Many who stand in support of Colin Kaepernick argue other sports figures should stand with him. But, they say, too many athletes remain afraid to lose large salaries, Mr. Winbush said.

Student Minister Ava Muhammad of the Nation of Islam says the U.S. Constitution, which is preceded by the Declaration of Independence, are noble and beautiful legal and social documents. If you’re a Caucasian, they recognize your essential right as a human being to the pursuit of happiness, but Black people are still being held in slavery, she said.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad explained that slaves were brought to these shores in 1555 and it wasn’t until 1776 America declared her independence.

One of the reasons the so-called 13 colonies were able to survive, feed themselves and build shelters, was Native American generosity. Then they benefited from slaves, who built a nation for them. That enabled colonists to grow strong enough and have enough wealth to separate from England.

“So even if they declared their essential right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” said Dr. Muhammad, “they were holding us in bondage, raping us, murdering us, separating parents from their children, husbands, religion, causing us to lose our own native language, and completely destroying us in terms of us having a community.”

“Master Fard Muhammad, our saviour, made himself known in the city of Detroit on July 4, 1930,” said Dr. Abdul Haleem Muhammad, student minister over the Nation of Islam Southwest region. “He came to declare our independence and to declare the doom of this nation. The reason Black people celebrate the enemy’s holiday, for the most part, is because they’re happy to have a day off. When we were enslaved, the master’s holiday became our holiday. If we do observe the Fourth, let’s observe July 4 for the coming of God, his declaration of independence, and work to make that word bond.”

“The Honorable Minister Farrakhan called for townhall meetings in the Black communities across the nation to discuss separation, the methodology, the means by which we intend to do for self,” Ava Muhammad noted. “The first town hall meeting is titled, ‘Failed Integration’ in Birmingham, Alabama.

“The Honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches the two people (Blacks and Whites) can never live together in peace. Our natures are completely different, so whether we’re ready or not, Allah God is not asking for our agreement. It’s going to happen. And for those who are willing to submit to God’s Will that we separate from our tormentor just as he called Moses and the children of Israel out of Egypt, come out of them my people. Well, it’s time for the promise that God made to Abraham in the book of Genesis to come to pass,” said Ava Muhammad, who is also an attorney, author and radio host.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan after 10-10-15, the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March, called for an economic boycott during the holiday season, called “Up with Jesus, down with Santa.”

An economic boycott is one of the major steps to separation, to stop spending your dollars with the enemy and support Black businesses.

Minister Farrakhan also called for 10,000 Fearless men and women to help make Black communities safe and decent places to live. We need push back on intrusion by police coming in and murdering our children, our women, and our men, Ava Muhammad stated. “That’s the next step in separation, to create self-contained, decent neighborhoods. The police come in our community because we’re committing crimes against each other,” she said.

The Final Call