We’ve seen clear signs of feuding between Audrey Roloff and Isabel Rock before. This time, the Sisters-in-Law are going for the jugular.
Auj posted a tribute for the Fourth of July … and Izzy told the world while celebrating Independence Day right now is nothing short of tone deaf.
“Happy 4th of July!!” Audrey Roloff gushed on social media over the weekend.
“So grateful to live in the land of the free because of the brave,” she added.
Auj, a devout Christian, then wrote: “God bless America.”
Audrey’s sister-in-law, Isabel Rock, had a very different sentiment and message to share.
She sees the Fourth of July in its broader context, both historically and in light of current events.
And Izzy took to Instagram to specifically take aim at those celebrating Independence Day as if nothing were wrong.
“The United States has kids in cages,” reads a pre-existing image that Isabel shared to her Instagram Stories.
The message continued: “F–k your Fourth of July.”
A little aggressive? Sure. But it does seem odd to celebrate freedom when white nationalist policies are caging children.
“What, to a slave, is the Fourth of July?” reads another image that Izzy shared to her Stories. That is a Frederick Douglass quote.
She also posted an informational link that read: “How to opt out of the Fourth of July and uplift BIPOC instead.”
BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. While Black people and Indigenous people are of course people of color, the acronym emphasizes their struggles.
“I never in my life cared for this holiday,” Isabel admitted in a more personal note shared to her Stories.
She freely acknowledged: “I recognize other people love it.”
Izzy went on to clarify that she has “nothing against those folks at all.”
“However, I think it’s very important to recognize that this is predominantly the ‘land of the free’ only for white people,” Isabel lamented.
That’s sadly true, particularly historically — but in many ways, this remains the case thanks to systemic racism.
“So while you light your sparkles, watch your fireworks, and wear your red, white, and blue,” Izzy wrote, “recognize that it’s a privilege too.”
Izzy also shared some information that should make clear to people why these sentiments over this particular holiday are so common.
The rights enshrined in documents written by the Founders were only for white men.
Black Americans, Native Americans, and all women were excluded from these freedoms — which means that Black and Native women were excluded twice.
Isabel’s strong moral stances and deliberate consciousness of the complexities and moral failings of the world is shared by Jacob Roloff.
He, too, has spoken extensively about white privilege in recent weeks, in light of the courageous nationwide protests.
Their shared values have drawn them together since they were teenagers and they continue to be voices for positive change now that they are married.
Some may view isabel’s statements as somehow anti-American, as if opposing the Fourth of July is somehow seditious.
In reality, the opposite is true.
In America, few things are more patriotic than pushing for positive change in your country. And yes, that can also mean acknowledging the past.
Not everyone views the Fourth of July in its historical context — as a true Independence Day.
For many, it is a social opportunity (absolute madness during a pandemic) and a chance to share their love for their country.
In some cases, that means celebrating the potential that America has, rather than the current reality.
Was Isabel trying to directly shade Audrey? A lot of fans see it this way, particularly those who are Auj fans and resent Izzy’s stance.
But we have to imagine that Isabel would have shared her messages even if Auj had said as little about the Fourth as she did about Black Lives Matter.
One could just as easily argue that Audrey was trying to shade Isabel with her own Fourth post, but it’s more than likely that they just both made posts in light of the holiday.