Life celebrations unify us. We come together, we have our attention on something that honors our journey and our spirits are lifted. Most of us can also understand that most cultural celebrations exist because of the successful resistance by steadfast people.
There are holidays that celebrate our resilience amidst a force that didn’t want us here. Whether it be via homophobia, colonialism, racism, etc., celebrating that we’re still here is a counterpoint to this effort of erasure and annihilation. What we celebrate is our successful resistance which sadly, continues to be what people on this planet need to do in order to seek their freedom from oppressive rule. And resistance that arises due to the oppressed becoming the oppressors means that much of what we’re learning from our history is that we haven’t learned from our history.
“The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. Most of the delegates to the Second Continental Congress signed the document on August 2, 1776. By putting their names on this paper, these men risked losing everything if the British won the American Revolution. Even though the Americans won, some of these men suffered severely by supporting independence.” (nps.gov)
“While Independence Day is meant to celebrate the United States, it places a disproportionate amount of emphasis on a narrative of glory and pride in American history, while failing to acknowledge the negative aspects of American history – including the historical struggles of Native American and African American folk.” (theindigenousfoundation.org)
What we celebrate as Americans, is our privilege to exist amidst the atrocity committed against indigenous and enslaved people. We see these same patterns of oppression from our LGBTQ+ journey, from endless wars, disguised genocides and yet we lose track of this predictable system. Most of us are protected and disengaged due to the distractions, pressures and stressors of our modern, material world. Or we’ve held on to a story because we’re accustomed to what we first learned, even if it means holding onto a lie. This has been my story that I share in recent blogs relating to Israel/Palestine, “Following the Twisted Path” and “Mixed for One Truth.“
History IS repeating itself with even what might be a small mirror of the most heinous humanitarian crime of the Holocaust. This strategy for mass murder is being treated as a template for othering a people in order to justify national safety and international sponsorship for Israel as it commits a genocide on Palestinians in Gaza. Using a convincing narrative that a terrorist group is the cause helps onboard new visitors of this 76 year crime that has been largely normalized. (Read “But Hamas!” below) But for those who have been able to push through the noise of Zionism – an extension of White Supremacy, they see clearly what is happening and can not unsee what has been seen. If nothing more than noting the military personnel who have resigned in both the US and Israel, it helps to know there are those who do not see this the same. And as it is with anything unpopular by the dominant force, likely there are many more who feel the same but aren’t able to take the same action for reasons of guilt, fear, cognitive dissonance, etc.
Learning From the War on Gaza and the Rohingya Genocide – Matthew Gindin
Israel sees 800 senior army officers resign this year
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240702-israel-sees-800-senior-army-officers-resign-this-year/
U.S. Jewish Army Intel Officer Quits over Gaza, Says “Impossible” Not to See Echoes of Holocaust
https://youtu.be/p0PuMRCRlYQ?
Aaron Bushnell Was the Tip of the Iceberg. Now US Troops are Quitting the Military Over Gaza
A Conscientious Objector’s Vision of Life for Israelis and Palestinians From the River to the Sea
For a brief moment, I also couldn’t help but notice these words that are passing so closely to each other: Pride and Independence. Both have a positive side and a negative side. And it’s an example where context is everything. Having pride in oneself after overcoming some hurdle is an empowering way to reclaim the self. It’s interestingly a moment of independence from some dominant group-thought, ideology, community or concept that was suppressing your identity. But to be seduced by pride for something that wasn’t worked for or representative of community bonding, and to hold your independence against the welfare of the collective might come across as both careless and selfish. When we claim independence from an oppressor, we move towards liberation. When we claim independence at the cost of another’s welfare, and then when we take pride in that twisted action, we follow the path of typical colonialism as well as settler colonialism.
I wonder if we would pause a moment and consider that a people resisting are literally holding onto their ground. And, a people killing and stealing are a people grasping for something that’s not actually theirs but is a response to trauma. If it’s an unclear perspective, then the oppressive powers succeed in their mission. When the understanding of true freedom arrives, it’s either because decades and centuries have passed, or more brave people have stepped forward to share the light of truth, leaving those who are ignorant in the dark.
Whatever is to happen, may our willingness to understand both sides of any story help us find our humanity and deepen our compassion. This could be an amazing time of brilliant transformation, or a decaying time of numbness. May our practices help us remember what’s possible when we look within.
Let’s stay connected,
Marc
