Happy Fourth of July, with certain exceptions

Republicans like to yell about freedom a lot, but their idea of freedom often centers on their own right to deny other people’s rights. They get to say what medical decisions women can make. What books other people’s kids can read. What Disney movies teachers can show their classes.

Pregnant? Well, the Trump-packed Supreme Court gave state politicians the freedom to choose what medical care you can get—whether you are not ready or willing to be pregnant at that time, or being pregnant is a danger to your health.

To Republicans, colleges and universities can’t make admissions decisions the way they want to, but website designers and bakers can refuse to do business with LGBTQ+ couples getting married. It’s freedom!

In this worldview, the right of employers to refuse to offer health insurance that covers birth control comes before women’s right to get affordable birth control. The right of big corporations to pollute the air comes before the right of average people to breathe clean air. The right of workers to join together in unions is superseded by the right of their bosses to fire them for any made-up reason whatsoever.

So this Fourth of July, let’s wish a happy Independence Day to everyone but people whose idea of freedom has room for business owners to refuse to do business with people whose relationships they disapprove of but not for educators to decide what books and movies are conducive to teaching their students. Let’s celebrate the idea that the right to a decent quality of life for everyone, not just the rich and powerful, comes before the right of billion-dollar corporations to profit by lowering that quality of life. Happy Fourth of July, everyone who believes that women get to make decisions about their own bodies. Happy Fourth if you don’t think your freedom requires excluding or harming other people because of who they are.

What are you celebrating this Fourth of July?