Why should I? What would you have me celebrate? The theft of a continent and the genocide of the people living there? Global leadership in mass incarceration and record shattering recidivism rates? Bottom of the barrel health care in the developed world? The complete disregard for women being able to manage their own health? The compounding legislation that is stripping away the rights and dignity of people that are LGBTQ?

No, America, I will not celebrate your birth, nor your independence. You have yet to prove yourself worthy of celebration. You have claimed your glory on the backs of indigenous people and people of color. You continue to systematically prey on the less fortunate through your individual-glorifying systems of capitalism and Christian Nationalism. You show no signs of remorse or attempts at restitution. You are failing at humanity. 

But I will celebrate the people living in these United States. I will celebrate the people that are fighting to make this country as grand as our July 4^th celebrations would lead us to believe it is. We, the people of America, are indeed worthy of celebration. We are people of good hearts and good intentions. We are people that would drop what we are doing to help a neighbor in need. We are a people that recognize that the economic, political, and theological systems running this country are not perfect and at times terribly broken. We are a people that are working hard every day, and every year, to fix those systems and to make this country into something truly worth celebrating, by all people, everywhere.

For now, America, I will respectfully take a knee during your National Anthem. I do not make this decision lightly and I do not make it out of disrespect. I will bow take a knee as a sign of sadness for the weary, burdened, and marginalized that are being left behind by your proud, selfish, and greedy ways. I take a knee to pray for you America, and for all the steadfast humans living within your sphere and following your leadership in this brave new world.