LOVE IMAGINED: Fourth of July, Another View, Independence for Some

LOVE IMAGINED:  Declaration of Independence

Frederick Douglass said, “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” And he asked them, “Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak to-day?” It wasn’t until 2009 the senate passed a resolution apologizing for slavery! – for the “fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States#The_end_of_slavery

I live a history of injustice; I live it in my bones and in my heart.  I often wonder why it haunts me; but I know.  Injustice upon my great-grandparents, my grandparents, and my mother gave cause to secrets, and lies and children not even knowing their family names-my grandfather had to change his name, the name of his white father, in order to escape the south searching for freedom.  And, who was his Negro mother?  I will never know.

The construct of race has always been a problem for me.  Why?  Sometimes I just don’t know.  Other times I’m very clear about why.  It has affected my siblings differently, but I believe we all hold the secrets and lies in our bodies.  My uncle said once he was so tired of having stomach upsets, he eventually just passed for white.

I want love.  I imagine love.  But the construct of race has almost always been a problem in my relationships.  Some refuse to see it.  Some are too naïve.  Some just lazy.  Some figure it has nothing to do with them.  I refuse to hide.  I refuse to forget my history.

But, I also refuse to give up on love.  Without love there is nothing.  Without love there will never be world peace.

 

Sherry Quan Lee

July 4, 2012

 

About Sherry

Author. Poet. Teacher. Mentor. Chinese/Blackbird.

One Comment

  1. Brenda Bell Brown

    never cease to amaze

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