My name is Veda Sterling Abusaleh.
I am the auntie of Alton Sterling who was murdered by [Baton Rouge, Louisiana] police on July 4 weekend in 2016. They shot him on July 4 and pronounced him dead on July 5th. I don't celebrate the 4th of July. I have never celebrated the 4th of July.
I always hear them say this is the land of the Free. There's nothing free about this land. Slavery, genocide against the native inhabitants. Wars to conquer and plunder other lands. That ain’t freedom. Our ancestors’ blood is crying out from this land. They built America, but we did not get credit for it and we still don't get credit for it. I will never celebrate the 4th of July.
My nephew Alton was only out there selling CDs when they killed him. He gave away more CDs than he sold, which is why he touched the lives and the hearts of so many people here in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I don't understand why especially people of color celebrate this pagan holiday.
But I do understand if you don't know why you shouldn’t celebrate America, you need to search out all the things that have happened, what has happened in the past, what’s happening today, and what the system has planned for your future.
I ask that you get together with a group of people that can help you learn that. The blind can't lead the blind. I got with the RevComs in 2016. It is 2024 now, and they have never left my side, and I appreciate everything. I want y’all to remember this one thing if you don't remember anything else. I have seen that this system is not made for us. It's made for slaves, and you should ask yourself the question, are you a slave? If your answer is no, then you should be doing something about getting rid of this system because the whole system is really guilty as hell.
Get with the RevCom Corps for the Emancipation of Humanity.