IN YOUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

The text threads in my phone today are filled with melancholy, angry, depressed variations on the same theme: that most of the people who have my phone number simply do not have the heart to celebrate American Independence Day today.

I’ve always felt pretty mixed about the way we celebrate this anniversary of America’s birth. On a general level, I’ve always had the sense that it is a thin-line that distinguishes patriotism and fascism, and such outward displays of American fervor have always left me feeling a little uncomfortable. Some of that awareness has certainly stemmed from the fact that I have always been cognizant on some level of my status as the non-white child of an immigrant. A sense that I am not American “enough” or the “right kind” of American. As I have progressed through my adulthood, my understanding of all the nuances as to why I have internalized these ideas of my outsider-place in American society has sharpened over the years, particularly these last few.

All that said, I’ve always had a great love of this country. Not because it is without faults, but because of the great progress it has made towards addressing those faults over the centuries. Is it enough? By all means, no. Is the progress insignificant? Again, certainly not. One of the aspects of this country that I continuously marvel at is the malleability of its constitution. Whether by intention or mistake, the document upon which this country is founded recognized the impossibility of any framework to be perfectly tailored to any society for eternity. The foundation it laid was one that contains within it the potential to grow and evolve with the society it serves. It’s something that I have always viewed as miraculous, and it has provided multiple opportunities for this country to address its inequities and attempt to right some of the sins of its incredibly messy and imperfect history. There is a nobility to that intention that I admire and value – regardless of how successfully it has or has not been achieved.

And yet…the current moment demonstrates that such malleability is a double-edged sword, and the recent weeks, months (and even years) have felt very much like the pendulum of progress is swinging backwards at a dangerously swift pace. With a judiciary that is repealing rights back by the handful, mass shootings happening daily, school boards working to erase entire chapters of American history from their curriculums, and the persistent efforts of the right to undermine our electoral system and disenfranchise voters, it’s a terrifying and shameful time to be an American. It’s a testament to the fact that no institution can be immune to the foibles, faults, and shortcomings of the people who pull the levers of the institutional machinery.

Something that often gets lost in all the fireworks, off-key renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner, and flag-waving is the fact that today is really about commemorating ratification of the Declaration of Independence – a document that purported to stand for the principals of equality and the inherent rights of all people to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Many Americans have circled back to these priorities as they have argued for progress over the centuries.

“In your Declaration of Independence it is asserted that all men are born free and equal, and it is understood by the civilized world that the United States of America is a free country, but I fear there is a backward step being taken by the government…The Honorable Senator calls us heathens, but I should judge from the tone of his letter that he was somewhat lacking in Christian charity. Let him look at the records of fire in Chicago and yellow fever in New Orleans, and he will find Chinamen giving as much, according to their means, as any other people...

…You go against the principles of George Washington, you go against the American flag, and you act in conflict with Christian charity and principle…I ask you, where is your golden rule, your Christian charity, and the fruits of your Bible teachings, when you talk about doing unto others as you would have them do to you…” 

– Wong Ar Chong to William Lloyd Garrison, Feb. 28, 1879

Reading the example above, it can feel a bit shocking to see that it was written roughly 150 years ago. That Wong Ar Chong’s assertion of a “backward step being taken by the government” can be so easily applied to the present day’s political landscape a century and a half later is disturbing, eerie, and disheartening, to say the least. And yet, it is because of the efforts of activists like Wong Ar Chong and later Wong Kim Ark that non-white people born in the United States (like me) are considered by law to be American citizens today. On the one hand, it is easy to despair at how these words are so easily applicable to the current moment. On the other, it is impossible to ignore the progress that has been made since they were written. Largely because of these very values that activist after activist has pointed to over the centuries, demanding that America hold itself accountable to the noble values it was founded upon, whether those values were fully understood or not.

Holding ourselves accountable to our value systems requires vigilance. Without it, as complacency wraps around us like a comforting blanket, humanity’s shadow seeps in, insidiously infiltrating society, working to widen the gaps between us, tearing us apart. As easy as it is to despair today, I also hope we can cling to the progressive rays of hope that shine through the narrative of our history. I dream that we can use them to keep shining a light, so that we can continue the work of healing as a nation, knitting together a stronger, more compassionate, more caring, and more equitable society for all. One that truly reflects those values we outlined as we declared our independence back in 1776.

Hear a clip of Nico Muhly’s setting of the excerpts of Wong Ar Chong’s letter, part of his song cycle Stranger:

Nico MUHLY: “III. All men” from Stranger with Brooklyn Rider

Hear the entire song at the links below: