With all the talk about independence today, maybe one should take a few moments to analyze the overall state of that concept today. For anyone who takes the time to do so, many will rightfully understand that their independence is really an illusion.
Let's go back in time for a moment to the year 1776. On July 4 of that year and important document was signed in the city of Philadelphia, USA. This "Declaration of Independence" declared Americans independence from the British crown. Fast-forward 243 years and let's see if we can rightfully still declare ourselves independent.
If we declare independence to be no longer ruled by the British, then yes, America is truly independent. But if we declare independence to be a truly free and sovereign people governing themselves "of the people, by the people, and for the people," the USA falls far, far short of any notion of true freedom or independence.
Whereas in the past we were ruled by the British crown, we have long ago traded that for corporate rule and rule by the rich and powerful. Slavery, common at the start of the republic, although abhorrent then and now in all its forms, at least required the owners of slaves to take care of them at a certain minimal level if they ever hope to gain economic benefit from them. Healthy and well fed slaves meant prosperity for their owner.
Nowadays, people even here in these United States work in deplorable conditions in many ways worse than slaves of 200 years ago. Corporations have long been unbound from the requirements to maintain their workforce at certain minimal humane levels because their workforces are easily expendable and replaceable. Sure, today people can technically choose to declare their independence if their work treats them like slaves. But that often turns out to be a fool's freedom because they end up working in conditions similar, or sometimes worse, than what they had before. Some independence.
But even for those who have risen above the ranks of the deplorable, can they be considered truly free? Not in any real sense of the word. But just like the colonists 243 years ago, people once again are facing "taxation without representation." Yes, technically they have a choice of who they can vote for to represent them at a national level, but how often are the needs of voters even considered once their representatives actually enter Congress? And what kind of choices is it when your choices are one of two politicians from one of the two-headed oligarchic ruling class political parties?
Americans of all stripes are confronted by their true lack of freedom constantly. At various points in life, every American will at one point or another face the bloody fangs of the healthcare industry, along with their cousins in Big Pharma. On numerous other occasions, the bloody fangs of banking and finance will bore into your flesh. And if certain corporate interests can't sink their fangs into your flesh directly (like the military-industrial complex), they will sink their fangs into the government, those supposedly working for you and me, and the government will sink their fangs into your flesh on their behalf.
So come on America! Enjoy your independence, at least if you can still discover some semblance of independence somewhere to celebrate. Otherwise, you can just join many, many millions of your fellow Americans who will pop open a few cold ones today to celebrate their beer dependence. Enjoy it while you can, because the real state of your independence will soon return in all it's obnoxious and depressing glory.
