The Fifth.

Today is the fifth of July.
Which means yesterday was the fourth.
Independence Day.

I love being an American.
I am proud to have had the opportunities that I had growing up
living in a country that celebrates individualism and hard work.
Courage.
Tenacity.
And most of all,
Freedom.

In honor of Independence Day and the birth of America as its own nation,
the History Channel was playing a miniseries documenting the start
of this great nation.

It devoted hours to the story of the white pioneers
that left European rule to forge a new story
a new life
a new nation.

It spent mere moments on the story of Native Americans.
During those brief seconds it depicted the Shawnee as brutal savages.
Intent on doing nothing but killing the white settlers.
Daniel Boone and his company of men, to be precise.

It briefly mentioned the Chinese laborers that were brought over
to build Lincoln's transcontinental railroad.

I think there was a snippet about Sacagawea, too.
Alluding to how helpful she was to the whites.
But it went no further.

There were too many other stories to be told.
More important stories.
The Donner Party on the Oregon Trail.
Headed west, faced with starvation, they ate each other.

The Trail of Tears.

The Gold Rush.

The birth of Cowboys.

The Alamo.
The Civil War.
The end of Slavery.

And we learned how the white settlers
eradicated
the country's buffalo population.

8,000 buffalo were killed every day.

Every
Day.

It was an interesting TV series.
I reminded myself that it was only telling one side of history.

That there are many other stories
with numerous points of view
still left to be told.
The stories of the men (and women) upon whose backs
this country was actually built.
Or taken.

Native Americans.
Migrant workers.
African-Americans.
Women.
Farmers.
Mexican-Americans.

And I want those storytellers to know
that I am here to listen.

Happy (post) Independence Day, all.
Remember where we came from,
as a nation.
So that we can be thankful
for all
who sacrificed
so that we can have the land
we call home.


Cheers,
A