Touré, an author and former MSNBC host, has written a searing op-ed criticizing the Fourth of July because it “wasn’t Independence Day for Black people.”
He wrote that the country’s newly designated holiday, Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of African American slaves, casts a “long shadow over Independence Day, making it look like a hypocrite and a damn fool.”
“Independence for who?” Touré wrote of the Fourth of July in an op-ed for theGrio. “It wasn’t independence for Black people, for our ancestors, so why would we celebrate the Fourth of July?”
The writer said his criticism of the day wasn’t merely because Americans owned slaves when the nation became independent from Britain, but because slavery “was completely wrapped up in the movement to become independent.”
He cited Nikole Hannah-Jones’ Pulitzer Prize-winning essay for the “1619 Project” which noted that one of the main reasons the colonies sought independence was to protect the institution of slavery.
He also noted that Thomas Jefferson’s first draft of the Declaration of Independence had included a section condemning slavery, despite being a slaveowner himself. That section was rejected by Congress, he added, and a Constitution that “protected slavery without mentioning it” was passed.
“This reminds me of today, a time when white supremacy shapes American life so deeply that white people are fighting against the teaching of Critical Race Theory because nowadays, as it was back in the early days of America, this country is both engaged in racism and in working hard to pretend it’s not,” Touré wrote.
“America has never been the land of liberty and justice for all; those words have never meant anything to Black people, but we have fought to make America more American—more free and more just.
“We are critical to America moving closer to living up to its promise. We are critical to America. But it’s still f**k Fourth of July for me.”
He also wondered what his enslaved ancestors thought on the first Independence Day “as they watched people celebrate independence as they, kidnapped people who had been trafficked across the sea and were being tortured so others could grow wealthy? What did they think of this spectacle?”
He quoted Frederick Douglass’ speech “What To The Slave is the Fourth Of July?” which said the day reveals “more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.”
Touré said that today, the killings of Black men and women like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery “remain hyperpresent in the Black mind.”
“We still see shocking and sometimes bloody things happening to Black bodies because of the people of America,” he added. “So miss me with your Fourth of July celebration this year and every year. The only independence day I recognize is Juneteenth.”
Nothing, absolutely nothing, will satiate the hatred that most of the black community has for the whites. It is ingrained in all of us daily and is shoved down our throats because that is the trend. The media relishes feeding on this hatred and is the cause of all of the division and strife that is spreading throughout our country. Most of us would like to move on and heal, but the media keeps the hatred alive because that’s what they are paid to do. Maybe most of you aren’t aware or were told that NONE of us were here when the first slave ship came to the shores of this country. We are not responsible for the actions of our ancestors. Yes, we were born white and we had no choice in that. God made everybody different and He happened to make you black. Get over it and move on. CRT is meant to make us feel ashamed of who we are and hate ourselves for what our ancestors did. There is opportunity for all today but too many prefer to take the lazy path and take charity and continue feeding off the welfare system while the rest of us go to work everyday to feed all of you and your abundant children. We love our freedom and traditions, which includes celebrating July 4. You have the option of enjoying the free holiday. Now you have June Thirteenth, which is YOUR independence day. And believe it or not, we celebrate with you. Happy Fourth!
You are so right. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will satisfy the black community’s leaders as long as the media gives them the spotlight. What about the Indentured servants? What about the slavery that exists at this moment in Africa and other countries? Why does the black community try to sully everything that represents this country? Statues, Literature. Art. They are free to go to whatever country they think will put up with their demands.
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I lived two years among the native Americans in New Mexico. when they accepted me, a white woman assigned to the Public Health service, they made it clear they had no use for “do-gooders’ and my job was not in that category unless I put myself there. They made it clear that what my great-great ancestors might have done (and probably weren’t involved) to their great-great ancestors had nothing to do with our relationship now.The blacks could take a lesson from some of the most oppressed, lied to, and second-classed people in this country.
It’s free country. If you don’t want to celebrate “Fourth of July”, then by all means, don’t! That’s you’re business! And because it is a free country, I will
celebrate it. That’s my business! So to all those who don’t, “mind your business!”