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A Fourth of July in Exile

Another Fourth of July,
in the United States of America,
Independence Day.

We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator,
with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life,
Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

And nearly two hundred years later,
In 1963, a black preacher dreams
that one day his nation will rise up,
and live out the true meaning of its creed:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal."

And to this day,
I am still dreaming,
for I find it difficult
to celebrate,
Independence Day.

When Seattle
blew up the King Dome
and spend half a billion dollars
of the people's money
to build a new stadium
for one of the richest man in the world,
Paul Allen.

While homeless women
and children
sleep in church
parking lots.

When the police
in armored vehicles
and full riot gears
shot tear gas canisters
at peaceful demonstrators
for exercising their constitutional rights,
during WTO.

While a policeman
caught on videotape
for kicking a female red cross volunteer
as she lay on the ground,
and pepper spraying two other women for videotaping
and he is still on the police force,
John Vanderwalker.

When corrupted officials
making deals with businesses
rather than building
a public transportation system
as demanded by the people.

While traffic congestion
becomes one of the worse
in the country,
Sound Transit.

And then I realize
that America
is a capitalist country,
with a corporate government
and a police state.

Tuan Tran