What to the American Immigrant is the 4th of July?

I'm just a Sojourner and Alien Living in Terra-firma (SALT) passing through the sieve of this earth suit.

This isn't my first Fourth of July celebration outside of America, but it's certainly the most reflective. As I ponder the evolution of American exceptionalism — from what it signified to my ancestors, to its current implications, and its potential for the future — I find myself deeply contemplative.

I currently reside in Northern Ireland. It was here on the Emerald Isle that in 1845, Frederick Douglass first experienced the dignity of humanity after emancipating himself from the bonds of slavery. I attend a fellowship called Redeemer Central which is located on the site of the former Independent Meetinghouse on Donegall Street, where Douglass, sponsored by the Belfast Anti-Slavery Society, delivered a lecture regarding the church's role in abolishing slavery. Douglass was an immigrant to the Emerald Isle. Today, we would assign him the status of asylum seeker.

When I pass by his likeness on the streets of Belfast, it is hard not to consider the words he spoke in Rochester, New York regarding American Independence:

"What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim."

172 years on from this fiery oration, here are the things that America cannot continue to kick down the road:

Abolish slavery.

The constitution is, as Douglass said, a "glorious liberty document". It is not without a persistent blemish:

"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, EXCEPT as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." (emphasis mine)

This is our fly in the vasoline (thanks STP). Let the 13th amendment read true to its full promise. Remove the exception!

Dismantle slavery's legacy.

• Remove the electoral college.
• Establish a national voting week.
• Ban gerrymandering.
• Revitalize communities disenfranchised by the effects of historic red-lining, restrictive covenants and sundown towns
• Scale down the prison industrial complex and militarized policing.

Consider This: Historically, plantations were slave labour camps. Yet today, we hold these places in such high regard that they have been converted into gift shops, hotels, wedding venues, and restaurants. This transformation stands in stark contrast to how we treat former Nazi concentration camps, which are preserved as solemn memorials to their dark past.

Make good on the promise of equality.

Reparations is not a 4 letter word. The 40 acres and a mule promised to emancipated slaves during the Reconstruction period was never delivered. Instead former slave owners received a massive government stimulus. Take a look at the countries (Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Canada) who recognized the advantages of wealth re-distribution and and decide for yourself on its potential as a worthwhile practice.

While we're at it, let's fully make amends to the descendants of Native Americans and to the disenfranchised indigenous populations of our colonies: the Caroline Islands, Diego Garcia, and the Philippines.

In order to make a more perfect union, let's get out of the empire mindset by extending 1st class citizenship to our commonwealth members in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, the Northern Marianas. Grant them statehood and full voting representation in Congress. Why are these territories governed by the U.S. Department of the Interior and not fully embraced by the constitution?

Reinstate full citizenship rights to formerly convicted criminals who have served their time or had convictions overturned.

Grant statehood to Chocolate City.

Tell the truth.

There is no shame or guilt in truth telling.

It's about activating responsibility and empowering accountability. We can't hide or rewrite history to reduce the economic impact of slavery in the foundation of America. The effects are in evidence at every level of society. Acknowledge what was, take action to make it right and move forward.

I am inspired by the legacy of Frederick Douglass and his powerful critique of American Independence. His willingness to get honest with America showed his deep love and commitment to the country of his birth and his desire to make it better.

Let's make it better together.

Have a fantastic Independence Day, America.