unhappy independence day
Author: rayela
Brazil 18years + Chicago 20yrs + Paducah since 2005 These have shaped my path and interests. I spent many years as an active artist (ceramics and textiles) but have focused on promoting the creative community online since 2010. My current projects are Artizan Made and this site, Creative PlaceMakers.
4th of july, 2025
This is the Independence Day of the United States. Many of us are in mourning, grieving for what we are losing and what is to come. An upside down flag is a message of distress and WE ARE DISTRESSED! Today Trump signed into law the “Big Beautiful Bill”, a massive attack on programs that help the poor and working class, the environment, our health care system and expands ICE to a budget larger than most country’s armies, including Brazil’s and Russia’s. The cruelty of the Republican party is shocking and some of them are even making jokes about how people will die and suffer in the next few years. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said, in effect, “People will complain, but they will get over it.” Laura Loomer posted several comments on X about feeding undocumented people to the alligators in the new concentration camp in Florida, “Alligator lives matter. The good news is, alligators are guaranteed at least 65 million meals if we get started now.” That’s about the size of the Latino population in the United States.
The racism displayed by this administration is abhorrent. We already knew that Trump and the people who surround him are white nationalists, but seeing ICE in action and how viciously they are kidnapping people off of our streets, even pulling them out of their own houses is terrifying. Now they will have enough money to be everywhere. Citizens are getting deported. Three women have been raped by these masked men. Several people have died in detention. It’s just going to get worse.
the declaration of independence
Twice now, I have seen footage of Trump being interviewed in the Oval Office where he points to his copy of the Declaration of Independence hanging on his wall. He described it as a document of love and unity and confused its origin with the Civil War.
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It’s actually a document listing the reasons why the colonies declared their independence from England. It has a long list of grievances against the king, a list that could be about Trump. Most of us are familiar with this part:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states.
That part alone could describe what we are experiencing today. But, it is worth it to skim over the rest. You can see them here. Most of these grievances are now being imposed on us by the Trump Administration.
pharisees – jesus must die
In thinking about what is happening here in the United States, complicity is the awakener, especially when it comes from people who consider themselves Christians. I can’t wrap my head around how they can justify all of this and somehow see Jesus in it. In my mind, they are the Pharisees. I’ve posted this video before, but it is the reel I see every day when I think of Christian Nationalists:
The next scene is of Jesus in the Temple, overturning the tables. This is one of the few times where Jesus shows such anger. Jesus Christ Superstar is now over 50 years old! The reason why these old religions remain relevant is that we don’t evolve. Emotionally, we are the same now as we were 2,000 years ago or more. We are stuck in repeating the same cycles of violence and of cruelty. And, now…. it may time to turn over some tables again….
voices on instagram
I have found a lot of comfort and inspiration from the people I follow on Instagram. It’s an eclectic mix of art, comedy, music, nature, thinkers, science, and great organizations. I saved some of the ones that caught my eye and am posting them in no particular order. Maybe some of them will grab your attention, too.
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the spirit of independence
Unless you are a Native American, your ancestors came from somewhere else. I have some English blood that’s been here since the Revolution, my grandfather learned to speak English in school (his parents came from Germany), my mother’s side is mostly Icelandic and there are others. The Icelanders came because a volcano erupted, killing all of their sheep. They came in through Canada and settled in Minnesota. All of the others came looking for opportunities and for freedom. We know that they were survivors, hardworking and dreaming of a better future, for themselves, their children and all of us who come from their seed.
We have that better life. We have SO much to be grateful for, but life in the United States becomes poorer materially and in spirit, year after year. Maybe this is our wake up call and we have to reach up and tap into that immigrant Spirit. I need to find my inner Viking. And, we can all be inspired by our native peoples and their strength. I would love Congress to be injected with some Haka energy! I hope that I have the same courage that LA residents are displaying when ICE starts kidnapping people in my town.
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2 Comments
Join the discussion and tell us your opinion.
Rachel,Thanks for your thoughtful words! I concur with your sentiments 100 percent. Shame
Thank you, Betsy! I am encouraged by how many people are speaking out and standing in solidarity with the people who are being targeted by ICE. But, this Administration is attacking so much, so quickly, that it’s hard to digest or even focus on what is the best use of our time, talents, resources, or energy. I think if we each pick a couple of issues and treat them as a part time job, we might see something coherent and we definitely have to do a lot more locally. Or, at least, I do…. 🙂