Independence or Freedom?

Today is Independence Day in the United States.

That phrase raises questions for me. What does it mean to be independent? And what does it mean to be independent and united?

What does it mean that when the country declared freedom from England, many of its inhabitants were enslaved? Or that the land the country founded itself was stolen from those who were here before? And that all the land would one day be seized, “from sea to shining sea.”

Can we survive and be truly independent? How large is the web of connection I depend on to sustain my own body and mind: providing me with food, warmth, clothing, transportation, employment, healthcare, and love? (Just to name a few of my needs…)

If freedom is the true goal, and not independence, what do we need from ourselves and each other in order to feel free?