We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Call my interpretation naive, but I have always taken this quite literally to mean all people, not only those residing in the 48 continuous states, Alaska and Hawaii. Born and raised in the heartland of America, I have always felt extremely fortunate, but never superior based on my birthplace.
A decade ago I burst out of the bubble that is the Midwest of the US and moved abroad. I discovered that waving the dark blue passport with the golden eagle embossed on the front opens many doors and carries significant privilege. With this passport; the choice is yours, you are almost always welcome in foreign lands, no questions asked (even when questions should be asked). Your travel dilema is, “Which destination to book on expedia.com?”, not, “Will I get a visa and will they let me in?
If you are not holding an American or European passport, you are out of luck and may be subject to endless bureaucracy, restrictions and unwarranted suspicion. Many countries are simply off limits for you. (Honestly, I never knew.) Want to guess how many South Africans would be allowed to travel to the US to watch World Cup Football?
The extent to which entire nations of people are routinely regarded as second class citizens is shocking. As I witness the growing rage against immigrants both here in The Netherlands and in America, I realize that growing up proudly believing in the values of “Land of the Free and Home of the Brave”, ill-prepared me to accept the reality and disparity that exists between those who “have” the desirable passports and those who “have not”.
Celebrating the 4th of July this year feels a little like hosting a feast in the midst of famine. As Americans commemorate Independence Day, many seek to erect higher walls and more barriers to keep people out? Is building a wall around ourselves what Independence was meant to look like? Where does Nationalism end and the “All men are created equal” part kick in?
Suzy Ogé is an American born business woman living in The Hague, The Netherlands. 
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I somehow missed this when you first posted it, but what a great entry! In the US, it is astounding how people whose not-so-distant ancestors were immigrants are so hateful toward current immigrants.