Day 4: Independence Day

There’ll be fireworks over the pond today, but what does it mean?

I always think of Will Smith defeating alien bad guys.

And I think of “all men created equal” except Black men and brown men and indigenous men who were three-fifths of a human being, and women, who are not men at all.

I think of how much of our history in the UK has been whitewashed and sanitised and how I never learned of the horrors perpetrated by colonisers and, further back, crusaders.

And I wonder how far back we’re slipping now, as America slides into a theocracy and politicians in the UK are feeling emboldened to stand up and say out loud that women shouldn’t have bodily autonomy if they’re pregnant.

And then I am powered by rage and I remember that THIS is why I do what I do. Because words, ideas, BOOKS are where it all starts.

We need to drown out the hysterical shrieks of privileged mediocrity and speak up.

Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about what Independence Day means to you.

Or rage on the page.

Either is fine.

Happy writing!

TTFN,

Vicky

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