On this day, every year, Americans far and wide celebrate the mark of our Nation’s Birthday with picnics, barbecues, and fireworks. Television stations broadcast historical films and documentaries, and some cities still have Fourth of July Parades. But how often do we actually take a moment to consider the Fourth of July and what it meant to those who made that day historical… and what their experience should mean to us?
At my church yesterday, our Chaplain gave a thought-provoking sermon about the founders of our nation… and I was reminded of a crucial fact that is all too often glossed over in history courses: The signers of the Declaration of Independence were British subjects, dissenters, and traitors to the throne of England… and they fought, in hope that citizens of this new nation would be free to speak up about injustice without fear of persecution. It makes sense when you consider that many of the signers were philosophers. Benjamin Franklin, the eldest of the signers, is often quoted, in regards to humility, to “Imitate Jesus and Socrates.” You cannot imitate the humility of either without also standing up against the status quo.
This freedom to challenge the actions of our government happens to be of the few things that legitimately allows “normal” citizens of this nation to shape its evolution… although persecution they did indeed face, time and time again. And for them, I am grateful: for those who stood up against slavery… for the brave women who fought so hard to attain the right to vote and to own land…
But today, I express my gratitude most of all for the dissenters, the rebels, and the revolutionaries who have strived so hard, often against bitter persecution, that the LGBT community might be treated as first-class citizens.
From the Stonewall rioters, to Harvey Milk… and to the faces of dissent today: Lt. Dan Choi, Adam Bouska, Ben Patrick Johnson, the folks who put “courage” into Courage Campaign, the activists in the HRC, and the countless others who have faced ridicule, injury, and even death to make this country a place of freedom for all of us… thank you for putting your faith in dissent’s ability to change the world!
