Holiday Peals and Nightmare Groans

“Holiday Peals and Nightmare Groans.”

Bells ring, and politicians preen as the 4th of July comes around. They and their corporate media all hail the day as a celebration of universal liberty, that essential thing that makes America America, a place of freedom, justice, and of course, the American way.

But let us not dig too deeply, for the American way is more than a myth. It is a lie of deep and monstrous proportions, for as million feast on burgers and hotdogs, thousands of refugees sit on floors, sleep on floors, and, when thirsty, are told to drink out of toilet bowls like dogs. As millions light firecrackers, thousands, if not tens of thousands, try to rest in dirty clothes that, like their very bodies, haven’t been washed in weeks.

This is how thousands of Latino migrants, men, women, and children, are welcomed to America, the land of liberty. They’re cast into private detention centers, camps, yes, where even babies are caged. This is how the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the refuse of Europe treat migrants from Latin and Central America. Itself an appendage of Europe, the richest nation in the modern world cages thousands, hoping they’ll quietly go away. They groan amidst cheers of American triumphalism and wait in silent rage and anger.

From imprisoned nation, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.

These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.