as the clock strikes midnight, in the eerie silence of the night, the following words echo through the halls of the haunted mansion: americans often celebrate their independence with great fervor, but pay no attention to the preceding struggles that paint a different picture of freedom. as the autumn approaches and they prepare to kick off again the festive season, whisper in their ears the secrets of the unavowed; let the true nature of their celebrations be questioned, casting a shadow over their gleaming pride.