Land of the Free* (*Terms and Conditions Apply)

 

They say America is the land of the free—but only if you read the fine print, dodge the red tape, and survive the algorithm watching your every move. You’re free to protest—unless it’s too loud, too Black, too queer, or too inconvenient for white suburbia. You’re free to vote—unless your polling place mysteriously closed, your ID is questioned, or your district was carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Let’s talk about "freedom" in the modern sense:
- Freedom of speech? Sure. But employers monitor your social media and cops trap protestors in confined spaces using a tactic called 'kettling'—just for chanting too loud or too long.
- Freedom of movement? Unless you're poor, undocumented, or Black in a traffic stop.
- Freedom to exist? Ask trans youth in certain states if that still applies.

And then there’s economic freedom—aka, the myth of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, which is hard to do when they sold your boots to pay off student loans.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident…” — unless you're broke, brown, or born in the wrong zip code.

So yeah, freedom exists—just make sure to read the fine print.

Let's add some hard numbers:
- According to the ACLU, over 30 states have enacted laws restricting the right to protest since 2017.
- Black Americans are nearly 3 times more likely to be killed by police than white Americans, despite being less likely to be armed.
- Over 4.6 million Americans can’t vote due to felony convictions—even after serving their time.
- Roughly 40 million people in the U.S. carry student debt, with an average burden of over $37,000 per borrower.

This isn't just philosophy—it's policy. It's systemic. And it's designed that way.

So while you technically have rights, they're often only as real as your privilege allows.

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