Just like every other year, July 4 was a significant day for millions of Americans as the country stepped onto its 246th year. Although in 2022, the hearts of people were not filled with joy and prosperity on Independence Day. They questioned their freedom after they lost their “life and liberty” following the recent abortion rules.
Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the 1973 Roe V. Wade has left American women with little to no rights regarding their own bodies. So this Independence Day, many citizens protested. They took to social media to boycott the pseudo-independence provided by the American government. Many celebrities were also a part of the protest.
Celebs Boycott Independence Day Over New Abortion Laws
The Independence Day witnessed many anti-America statements and gestures like the double birds flipped by Oscar-winning actress Jessica Chastain. “Happy ‘Independence’ Day from me and my reproductive rights,” Chastain wrote on Twitter, adding a photo of her displaying both middle fingers to the camera.
Happy “Independence” Day from me and my reproductive rights. pic.twitter.com/GoIuu4JhAq
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) July 4, 2022
Both Kim Kardashian and mom Kris Jenner shared a post on their Instagram stories that read: “4th of July has been canceled due to a shortage of Independence. Sincerely, Women.”
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo claimed on Twitter that this Fourth of July is “overshadowed by the dark reality of the Supreme Court’s decision that makes half of America less equal.”
“Instead of celebrations & BBQs, many are opting to do the most American thing they can do today: protest peacefully,” she added.
Amid the uproar, Claudia Conway, the daughter of former Trump administration staffer Kellyanne Conway and political pundit George Conway, marched in an abortion rights protest in New Jersey and questioned why Americans should buy into “July 4 propaganda.”
Will NOT be celebrating July 4th today🥰🥰 pic.twitter.com/o1TwAt6fpK
— Claudia Conway (@claudiamconwayy) July 4, 2022
”We’re not free. Why should we be celebrating independence when not all of us have independence. And that’s why we’re out here fighting for our reproductive rights, challenging the overturn of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court,” she said.
Channels Break Years-Long Independence Day Tradition
Even NPR and ESPN got in on the act this year. For almost 33 years, NPR ‘Morning Edition’ host Steve Inskeep, celebrated July Fourth by reading out America’s founding document. That ritual came to a disheartening end this year.
“This July 4th we break with tradition,” announced ‘Morning Edition’ co-host Leila Fadel on Twitter Monday. “Instead of a reading of the Declaration of Independence @NPRinskeep examines what equality means and has meant in this document. Important segment about our past and future.”
“Many of our debates on this July 4th turn on what equality means. What voting rules really give equal access to the ballot? Do abortion laws give a woman equal control of her body? At what point is a fetus entitled to equal rights?” – Inskeep asked during the 11-minute segment.
ESPN writer Howard Bryant wrote down her feelings regarding Independence Day 2022 in a column headlined “Baseball, barbecue and losing freedom this Fourth of July.”
“It is Independence Day in America with independence under current and relentless assault,” Bryant wrote. “From Miranda rights to the environment, to the separation of church and state, to guns – so many guns – people are reeling. The U.S. Supreme Court has run a chain saw through what two generations of Americans had known to be the legal baselines of their lives.”
“Tens of millions of women today do not feel freedom and certainly are not celebrating independence. The people who can become pregnant who feel celebratory toward the Court may do so from the victory of their position, but it nevertheless remains true that the power of choice – and the right to privacy – has been taken from all of them,” he opined.
City Of Orlando Refused To Celebrate The Holiday
The city of Orlando released a newsletter on Friday about its planned Fourth of July celebrations. It sparked a different type of fireworks. “A lot of people probably don’t want to celebrate our nation right now, and we can’t blame them. When there is so much division, hate and unrest, why on earth would you want to have a party celebrating it?”, it said.
The note continued, “But in all seriousness, you know in your heart, Fourth of July fireworks are amazing, especially when you are standing in 90° heat, 100% humidity, next to 100,000 of your closest friends. In that moment, something takes over and we all become united in an inexplicable bond. Yes, America is in strife right now, but you know what … we already bought the fireworks.”
Orlando officials backtracked on Sunday after a deluge of criticism. “We value the freedoms we have in this country and are thankful to the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for those,” the new statement said. “We take pride in celebrating the 4th of July to express our gratitude to those men and women and honor the country we live in.”
Read more: 10-Year-Old Rape Survivor Denied Abortion in Ohio After Roe v. Wade Overturn
Read more: Olivia Rodrigo Sings “F*** You” To Supreme Court Justices Who Voted To Overturn Roe v. Wade
