YJ, Thanks for the wishes, however, July 4th means nothing to me. Had my place of abode been the USA, i think it might be different. 4th July 1776 when Washington and his gang (America's Founding Fathers) declared independence from Great Britain our lot (Africans) were not included in the lofty claims of freedom and rights contained in the declaration regardless of the fact that many Africans died in the war of independence. African-Americans remained chattel slaves and unequal citizens for many decades. It took nearly 200 years for the lot of Africans to become equal citizens. This was not given on easily but was attained through lynchings, sit-ins, boycotts and political activitism of great men and women who demanded and took their rights from a fraudulent democracy. What made America great and democratic and maybe good for immigrants today for me is anchored not on 4th July but on the Civil Rights ACT enacted 2 July 1964. This day symbolically is the day when all Americans regardless of ones' hue really started to be independent from all forms of oppression. For those of you who find meaning in July 4th I wish you an enjoyable anniversary and may you live to witness many more to come. Happy July 4th to you YJ, family and friends. Mboge On Sat, Jul 3, 2010 at 4:10 PM, Y Jallow <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Koto Mboge, Haruna et al, > > I wish you all a happy July 4th celebration. > > Please find below a posting from Ansu and myself at the G-Post. > > thanks, > > yj > > > *There is no god but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger. Fear > and Worship only Allah alone!* > > > > > ------------------------------ > From: [log in to unmask] > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: RE: [>-<] Happy 4th of July everybody > Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2010 08:39:31 -0500 > > > Bro Ansu et al, > > > > Thank you for that brief history about the US. Even though some of us are > from other parts of the world –the Gambia, it happens that we live here, and > this becomes our home. Whatever good we wish our individual countries and > people, we can only wish the same to America and the American people. That > said, July 4th in my view is a measure of how far America has grown from > the time of colonial rule from the British. Indeed a long way, America must > have come. > > > > Needless to say, America is truly the land of Immigrants. Despite the lack > of a perfect system, America is still the best today in terms of democracy, > openness to immigrants, acceptance, diversity and tolerance of humanity. I > understand that the likes of George W. Bush dropped the ball seriously, but > still we hail America for its great achievements. > > > > Please enjoy Emma’s 1883 Poem. Verses of this great poem are also noted on > the statue of liberty. > > > > *The New Colossus* > > ** > > *Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame* > > *With conquering limbs astride from land to land;* > > *Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand* > > *A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame* > > *Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name* > > *Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand* > > *Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command * > > *The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,* > > *"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she* > > *With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,* > > *Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,* > > *The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,* > > *Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,* > > *I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"* > > ** > > *By Emma Lazarus, New York City, 1883 * > > > > > > *93rd & 94th Day Combined, regarding Femi’s illegal incarceration*. > > > > We are reminded again that the people must live in peace without feeling > any fear of harm or threats in their hearts. That is at least what the > American Independence reminded us. For us to proudly celebrate freedom there > must be true justice, a justice that guarantees every citizen or resident of > that country of equality, justice and freedom. Can you imagine what happens > if everyone abuses the little power you have at your disposal? > > > > Note: Lad, the microphone is back to you. Thanks for your constant > reminders. Free Femi Peters Now!! > > > > I wish you all a happy July 4th Celebration. > > > > Regards, > > yj > > > *There is no god but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger. > Fear and Worship only Allah alone!* > > > > > ------------------------------ > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [>-<] Happy 4th of July everybody > Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2010 08:03:21 -0400 > From: [log in to unmask] > > To all Americans and residents of the United States, especially to members > of the US armed forces, US State Department staff here and around the world, > as we celebrate the 234th birthday of the United States, let us take a > moment to think about the hundreds of millions who live under tyrannical and > repressive governments around the world who are denied their basic > fundamental right of speech and association - the very same rights we in the > US take for granted. Our prayers go to prisoners of conscience around the > world whose only crime is to speak up against repression. > > Speaking of freedoms that we take for granted, here's a revealing anecdotal > evidence of what I'm talking about: I came across this story this morning > in the *Talking Points Memo blog*: > > *Pop quiz: Who was emperor when the United States declared independence > from China?* > * > * > *Give up? * > * > * > *Perhaps you should ask one of the Americans who, when asked what country > the U.S. separated from, named France, Japan, Mexico, Spain or, yes, China. > * > * > * > *A new Marist poll<http://maristpoll.marist.edu/72-don%E2%80%99t-know-much-about-history/>shows that 26% of people in this country don't know that the U.S. declared > its independence from Great Britain. That includes 20% who aren't sure -- > and another 6% who think it was another country. * > * > * > *Looking at the numbers more deeply<http://maristpoll.marist.edu/wp-content/misc/usapolls/US100617/July%204th_summer%20vacation/Country_From_Which_US_Declared_Independence.htm>, > it appears the closer to 1776 you were born, the more likely you are to know > the correct answer. > * > * > * > *So enjoy the July 4th holiday, everyone, and don't forget to be thankful > that we're out from under the yoke of our Mexican colonial oppressors. * > > ------------------------------ > Hotmail has tools for the New Busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your > inbox. Learn more.<http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_1> > ------------------------------ > The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. 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