Thoughts on the Fourth of July

Fourth of July is approaching. It is rather a poignant date. For a long time, America did represent freedom and the Star and Stripes was a beacon of democracy.

Yet, it is so stained and I wonder when it will ever be clean.

I also remembered an incident in my life. Once I was chatting with my colleague in a large corporate, about life in my home country, China. We talked about holidays there and she asked me, in absolute sincerity: "Do you celebrate Fourth of July?"

I struggled hard not to show my astonishment. Of course Chinese are not celebrating Fourth of July. But they would, when America represents liberal democracy, without stains and qualifications.