In a Moment Notice: Happy Independence to a country that actually has One. 🇺🇲

What really holds a country together? A cause? Or a contraption?

sonic’s Flag is lovely IMO ❤️🇺🇲

What really holds a country together? A cause? Or a contraption?

I love America; it’s nearly common knowledge how much I love the American people, music, food, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s heaven. I know there are fights, conflicts, fails, etc, but I admire that from the top, the leaders always know what they stand for. What America is always fighting for (or at least how to frame it so).

And a reason I love them is because of a piece I read years ago that explained how divided in tribe and culture America is. Yet they still are together, and found something to love even after 250 years.

Nigeria would have easily been a replica of America in Africa when it comes to culture, tribe, etc., but sadly it's not — not because of anything, but simply because we lack one fundamental grounding truth. Something the American people have. Something they got on this day, 250 years ago in 1776.

Today, while looking up videos of America’s 250th celebration, I came across the Declaration of Independence. I have always known that something held the American state together.

…

I always assumed it was the idea of freedom, because of how much Americans push freedom in everything they do. When I hear Trump speak, when I hear Obama speak, I hear them over and over talk about how important freedom is to the American people. So I assumed that’s the one thing that held them together, and the one thing they promised everybody who comes onto American soil from wherever.

But today I listened to the Declaration of Independence read out loud. It stated clearly that they wanted a land led by the people, for the people, where freedom was written and everybody had equal power and equal access, where the government would be chosen by the people, for the people.

The same promise that brought their independence is what's still holding the country together 250 years later.

Right after that, I listened to Trump's July 4th speech, and it was almost the same thing — he kept saying it, and ended with "America is back!" we are here to stand on what was declared on July 4th, 1776.

And I realized America probably really stood because they have something to fight for. Every American activist, almost every American veteran, everyone who fights for America doesn’t do it for themselves or for their tribe — they fight for the freedom of America. So it stays a free, leading state.

I think that's a really cool idea, and it's what's helped them stay for 250 years and still going.

God, it's magnificent, the things I watched today. I'm so excited for them, honestly, I've been laughing and smiling because that's how happy I am about this.

Now I think of that, and it's a little wonder why in my home we barely have a reason to love the place. We don't have a sincere, grounding narrative, one thing that brings the Nigerian people together and holds them there. Something to always reflect back on. That is ours. We just have whatever Lugard & Co. concocted and gave us.

That lack of a relatable entry point to love a nation that was passed down to us is why an Igbo man will die on the hill that he is better than the Yoruba, who would never see eye to eye with the Hausas. It's not that deep, but it's deep enough that we're okay with just saying "peace & unity" every 1st of October. Sigh.

My thought process is simply: if we had something quite grounding, that reminds us we're all people protected under a certain cause with something to fight for, then we'd be fine. The Igbos were willing to fight to death in the civil war because they had something to protect. So much so, it wasn't even one of theirs that ended the war — it was a man from a nearby tribe they'd made friends with.

A cause. ❤️

For my country, I believe if we had something like that — an idea to fight for, something to hold onto that isn't the untrue "unity & progress" — then we might be closer to the country of the free than we imagine.

But for now, happy independence to the country of the free.

HAPPY JULY 4TH TO THE LAND OF THE FREE. ❤️ 🇺🇲

United States of America. 🇺🇲

This was voiced out

In a Moment’s Notice

Episode 19. 🛫 🇺🇲

I’m Mimi Marcus. An interesting writer obsessed about living and having fun while letting my curiosity guide my pen.

I am the best web3/crypto content writer and virtual assistant, and here on Medium I do a blend of interesting web3 topics and projects while also talking about the things that keep me up, break my heart or make my day.

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