The American ideal On a muted Independence Day, some consider the ongoing effort to achieve it
In the midst of the pandemic, protests and dramatic change unfolding across the country, a quiet July 4 in Hartford was a chance for some to consider the promise of America with a fresh look toward the future.
“On July 4, 1776, people like me, Black people, were not free,” said Alicia Strong, 23, of New Britain, a graduate student at Yale who organized Muslims for Black Lives Matter Saturday at the state Capitol.
“That’s not our liberty day, our liberation day. And so that’s why today we’re coming out to educate, we’re coming out to movement build.”
Strong said she’s as American as anyone else. Her family has been here 400 years. Both of her parents served in the armed forces. But to her, that still doesn’t matter.
“There’s no amount of patriotism I can show to force myself to be included in the American fabric,” she said. “If you want your place in this country then we’re going to have to stand up and say we’re going to take our place. We’re not going to ask for it anymore.”
Saifuddin Hasaan, of New Haven, has seen many Independence Days, but not enough progress.
“For me as a Muslim this Independence Day is not quite what I would expect it to be in 2020,” he said. “I’m 61 years old now. I’ve been though the ’60s, the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and still we’re fighting for these same things in 2020 and it’s really sad.”
He is heartened, however, by the reaction of so many Americans to the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and the dramatically increased support of all people for the Black Lives Matter movement and the battle against systemic racism and police misconduct.
“Everybody’s coming together now for equality for everybody,” he said. “I think it’s a good thing. People look to America as an example. If we’re going to set an example, we have to come together as one community.”
“We were given an idea … that this is an America that was free