– Many people like to wave flags and shout “God bless America” on July 4. But I do not see anything worth celebrating this year. The fact that we have religious freedom in this country does not mean that those who believe can use their faith to introduce laws that affect the rest of us. Jocelyn Navarro is angry and no proud American today. She is visiting Colorado with two friends. She studies daily in Arizona and is afraid of what will happen if she should become unplanned pregnant there. Calls for consumer boycott My friend April Bermudez (24) is also depressed. – I feel burned out by all the bad news we have received lately. Together with a third friend, she is going on a mountain hike today. While the residents of the town of Fort Collins, Colorado where we meet, decorate their homes with rosettes in red, white and blue. Demonstrations for abortion rights are planned in many American cities today. In Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and many cities in Texas, abortion supporters will protest. In Highland Park outside Chicago, Illinois, shots were fired at the July 4 parade, and police fear violence elsewhere as well. A campaign has also been launched to encourage women and other supporters of abortion laws to boycott the large company headquartered in cities where abortion is now banned. Some such companies are FedEx and Exxon. – The United States is still an experiment In Wichita, Kansas, Matt Kelley (24) writes articles about the abortion dispute in the local newspaper Wichita Eagle. He becomes thoughtful when asked about the future of the United States. -There is a lot to think about. This is a bit of a time to be young in, and this abortion debate has really sent shock waves into my generation, he says. Journalist Matt Kelley (24) has a busy summer in a local newspaper in Wichita, Kansas. Abortion is on the agenda. Photo: Tove Bjørgaas / news Matt tries to process the impressions by writing articles about the abortion debate in his hometown, seen from both sides. – I feel we are really part of the story now. I try to write about it and listen to everyone. We young people also have echo chambers, he says. When it comes to abortion, there are very committed young people on both sides here. – Do you think you will continue on the American project, I ask. – I really believe that the United States is still a social experiment. We like to talk about our constitution as a living document, as something we should interpret in our time, not just those who wrote it in the 18th century. It is demanding in the time we live in. Will make the cohabitant sterilize himself In the state of Missouri, Madeleine Brice (29) also has no plans to celebrate July 4th. I meet her in the art gallery where she is the general manager. – I feel discouraged as an American and a woman. I have no influence, and the abortion decision in the Supreme Court has only made it even clearer to me. Madeleine Brice (29) feels that she has no power in today’s USA, not even in elections, Photo: Tove Bjørgaas / news Madeleine believes that the right to vote she has also no longer has any function. – We are fed with this idea that we have power in elections, but with corrupt politicians and austerity in the election laws, it does not feel that way. Madeleine and her cohabitant have begun discussing a drastic choice they are likely to make after abortion was banned in the home state. – I have had an abortion before, and we do not want children. But my roommate and I have agreed that he should sterilize himself soon. It does not feel like a good decision to bring children into the world in the United States right now. Madeleine Brice (29) talks to news’s correspondent about what it is like to be young in the middle of the USA now. Photo: Fred-Ragnar Skau-Nilsen
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Young Americans boycott July 4 – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
