Today is July 4th, Independence Day which is an interesting concept when you consider how are independence is now being compromised by those increasing erosion on our Civil and Human Rights by our government and the multi-national corporations that back them. Over the years we’ve seen billions spent to buy up politicians via lobbying efforts and the emergence of official partnerships via ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council ) where corporations write laws that are later championed by elected officials. Its patriotism at its finest, if you have millions and billions.

Speaking of which, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mark Independence Day by acknowledging a disturbing trend that is best personified by New York’s billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg. This is a man who once famously said NYPD which is 40 thousand strong, is his own private army. He than commenced to allow that police department to cripple our independence by having them deploy an invasive policy called Stop and Frisk..

Under Bloomberg, his private army have executed stopped and frisked over 5 million times, with 85-90% of being Black and Brown men.. Less than 10% of those stops were found to be in violation of any law, minor or major.. Yet in spite of massive complaints and a number of high profiles cases of police killings and brutality during stop and frisk encounters, Bloomberg as said the police need to stop more Black people and that they are going hard on too many white folks….

Last week NY’s City Council recently voted to reign in some of the stop and frisk tactics.. the billionaire Mayor got pissed and is now investing his personal fortunes into launching campaigns against anyone who opposed stop and frisk..

Mayor Bloomberg & NY Police Commissioner Ray Kelly wanna up the ante with Stop and Frisk

Again, I cite Bloomberg and his antics because he personifies the growing trend in America that we should peep this independence day.. That would be Corporate dominance and tyranny, the privatization of public space and goods.

This July 4th we should note that in the name of so-called national security our independence is marked by major telecom and internet companies collecting personal data from millions of people for the NSA. Many of those people later down the road may face scenarios where they have to prove their innocence rather than be proven guilty of any sort of crime or in the case of this data collecting ‘associated’ with folks connected to terrorism.. Those same corporations while wrapped in the flag of  ‘patriotism’ have used the media outlets they own to hire pundits who will not only justify towing the party line, but will enthusiastically cheer what many see as fascism…

Our Independence Day is now marked by a huge increase in private prisons  and detention centers and harsh new laws that make it easy for anyone to get caught up and become a long-term resident in these facilities. It’s now known that in 2013 a sound monetary investment may be in private prison stocks.. This is something that several our most popular TV and Cable outlets have found to be the case, hence they’ve invested.. Yes I’m talking about you Viacom which includes MTV and BET.. Yes, I’m talking about you Time Warner..

Today should not be a day to blindly shoot of fire works and stuff a bunch of hot dogs down our throats.. It should be a day we reflect on the imperialistic direction this country has turned and what sort of things we can do to both raise awareness and craft solutions. This should be a day that we all ask ourselves, how did a country which was founded in 1776 with the backdrop and official policies that supported Native American genocide and African people being enslaved, 235 years later, still be vicious and oppressive to many of its people and folks around the world.

Today we should be questioning our foreign policy far too often supports ruthless dictators, undermines duly elected leaders and has a policy of bringing about regime change when leaders we don’t like stand up to us..We wont even talk about our Drone policy which has brought terror to the lands of people who’se countries the average American couldnt find on a map if quizzed. Much of foreign policy is driven by the companies and corporations that make up the Military Industrial Complex.. Again the key word to all this privatization.

If you wanna be a true Patriot, question our government and hold those who make bad and unlawful decisions accountable

Below are 3 Dope Songs to Mark Independence Day.. along with several bonus songs that give us some compelling perspectives about America, Home of the Free Land of the Brave..

Brother Ali ‘Uncle Sam Goddamn’.. This is an honest and heartfelt song where Minneapolis based Brother Ali ask the tough questions of Uncle Sam and of himself who lives within these lands…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46l236O7Iv8

Immortal Technique  ‘4th Branch’.. This is a classic song from this Harlem based emcee. The 4th branch has always been the media and in this song he shows how its been used to corrupt people’s ideology. Often times its that same media that beats the drums of war under the guise of Patriotism..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSfk0wLs4EE

Flipsyde ‘US History’ This Oakland based group literally flipped the script, by doing a song about the rise of the world’s biggest Super Power.. It’s a history lesson all of us should be taught in school. Its also a song that gotta lot of love all over the world..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1EJfgedNPY

Bonus Songs

Lowkey & M1 Obamanation pt2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiYinwW1ZlE

Dead Prez Propoganda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psdgRH_p3XI

Killer Mike Reagan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lIqNjC1RKU

Gil Scott-Heron Work for Peace

Sage Francis  makeshift Patriot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtNMly0aDUk