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In other years, Victor still made sausages himself – What? Sausage? And we always had parties. The national holiday means more to us than our American friends, we have finally chosen this country.
Even if I could make this decision much more voluntarily than Victor: Here we are, in good times and in bad, and we celebrate it. But there is no denying that the growing threat posed by the Republican Party affects us too. The mood is oppressive. The cautious hope we still harbored two years ago has vanished.
“I don’t glorify a country that deprives me of my basic rights,” many friends say. Following the rights of women, the rights of the LGBTQ+ community are now being curtailed. The poor, like most artists, do not belong here anyway. And that pretty much covers my circle of friends, my wonderful network of relationships—or maybe not. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel threatened.
And more, and more. A friend doesn’t have to go to work, another just got back from Germany, and here we are again on this Fourth of July on our terrace. We huddle around the grill, wrapped in down jackets to withstand the cold coastal wind, the summer mist that reliably absorbs the glare of fireworks year after year. Only the knocking and the desperate howl of the neighbor’s dogs are heard.
We talk about everything that makes you feel bad: politics and corruption, homelessness, climate change and the healthcare system. We are talking about America. But we also say: “I immediately feel better when I come here.” “Here I can just be myself.” As unconvincing as it may sound in the light of a political situation so privileged: Nevertheless, it is true.
Then, once again, Victor saves the mood right before it goes completely sour. “I will always celebrate the Fourth of July,” he says. “I will always be grateful to this country.” I’m stunned because this country doesn’t treat him very well. He nods, “America saved my life.”
In the late 1980s, the Mexican government declared all indigenous peoples to be enemies of the state. Forestry friends, who, as state employees, had access to the so-called black list, warned Victor. His arrest was inevitable, and before that he had endured several days of torture. Just because his name starts with a Z, which means it was at the bottom of the list, gave him time to escape. But when he arrived at the airport, the passport officers refused to leave him. They had an arrest warrant.
He was approached by two fair-haired angels, two flight attendants from a major American airline. They grabbed him by the left and right elbows and explained to the bewildered officer that they were already waiting for Victor and now they must immediately take him away. They bared their shiny white teeth, and Victor was safe. This is how airlines have saved countless lives.
“Thank you,” says the American friend. “Nice to hear”.
This America is no more. But it happened once and it can happen again
give.
Source: Blick
I am David Miller, a highly experienced news reporter and author for 24 Instant News. I specialize in opinion pieces and have written extensively on current events, politics, social issues, and more. My writing has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and BBC News. I strive to be fair-minded while also producing thought-provoking content that encourages readers to engage with the topics I discuss.
