Björn af Kleen: Around July 4th, there is always a stench of hypocrisy
Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
Opinion
Sources not specified
Context piece
- The author reflects on the inherent contradiction in the United States' founding principles of liberty and equality, noting that the nation's founders, many of whom were slave owners, simultaneously declared independence from monarchy and perpetuated human bondage.
- The article draws parallels between the historical hypocrisy of the founding fathers and contemporary American society, suggesting that a "repressive reflex" and a tendency towards hierarchy can quickly surface despite ideals of freedom and equality.
- The author uses personal anecdotes, such as a strict swimming pool rule and an overzealous police response to a stroller, to illustrate how mundane situations can expose a deep-seated duality in American culture.
The 250th anniversary of American independence is a moment fraught with a "stench of hypocrisy," according to commentator Björn af Kleen. As the United States broke free from British monarchy, its founding fathers were simultaneously engaged in the practice of slavery. This fundamental contradiction, declaring all men created equal while owning human beings, lies at the heart of the nation's complex identity.
At the same time as the USA freed itself from the shackles of the English monarchy, the founders continued to trade in people in chains.
Af Kleen uses personal experiences in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Brooklyn to illustrate this duality. A simple act of swimming in a quiet pool led to a stern reprimand from a lifeguard enforcing a rule with almost aggressive rigidity. Similarly, parking a stroller outside a coffee shop resulted in a police response that felt disproportionate, bordering on alarmist. These seemingly minor incidents, he argues, reveal a "repressive reflex" that can emerge unexpectedly in a society that champions freedom.
THE GENTLEMAN! A lifeguard informs me that I am swimming the wrong way. My leisurely breaststroke in the middle of the lane violates the rules. I am forced to stay close to the rough ropes and exercise in a circle.
The author suggests that the "soft and polite" interactions between people can rapidly transform into something "hard," and the seemingly "equal" can quickly become "hierarchical." This inherent tension, he contends, is woven into the very fabric of the nation's construction and its soul. The ideals of unalienable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, stand in stark contrast to the reality that more than half of the Declaration's signatories were slave owners, including Thomas Jefferson.
THAT'S THE RULE, SIR.
This historical hypocrisy, where the pursuit of liberty coexisted with the subjugation of others, continues to shape the American experience. The anniversary serves as a reminder that this duality is not a historical anomaly but an enduring characteristic of the nation's identity, influencing its present and future.
Perhaps because they set the light on a fundamental American contradiction. On the one hand, this is supposed to be the home of freedom on earth. On the other hand, the repressive reflex can strike without warning.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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