Why We Still Celebrate the Fourth of July — Even in Times of Division
What does it mean to celebrate freedom when so many feel their voices are unheard? How do we wave the flag proudly when headlines remind us daily of deep divisions and injustices? These are not easy questions, but they are exactly the questions worth asking as we gather on the Fourth of July.
For many Americans, recent years have been marked by polarization that runs deeper than policy differences - by a sense that the very ideals we hold dear are being tested, if not betrayed. We see debates over voting rights, concerns about misinformation, and questions about whether our institutions still represent us all. It can feel as though the American promise is slipping away.
Yet I believe this is precisely why we should celebrate the Fourth of July - not as a blind endorsement of the status quo, but as a renewed commitment to the unfinished work of democracy.
I remember the country celebrating the bicentennial in 1976. The country was still reeling from the wounds of Vietnam and Watergate, and there was deep cynicism in the air. But there was also a collective desire to heal and move forward. Communities came together, neighbors shared meals, and for a brief moment, it felt like we were more united than divided. That spirit - that possibility of coming together despite our flaws - is what I choose to celebrate.
The American experiment has always been more promise than perfection. When the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, the words “all men are created equal” were written by people who denied equality to so many. But those words planted a seed that generations have worked - and continue to work - to make real.
As Thomas Jefferson wrote, “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” The Fourth of July is not a celebration of a finished project; it is an invitation to keep dreaming, to keep building. It reminds us of our shared values: liberty, justice, self-governance, and the belief that progress, however slow, is possible.
We should not shy away from our nation’s shortcomings. True patriotism is not passive pride; it is the courage to hold our country accountable, to push for a better future, and to believe that there is more that unites us than divides us.
So this year, whether you’re at a family barbecue or watching fireworks in a quiet moment of reflection, I hope you find both gratitude and resolve. Gratitude for the freedoms we do enjoy - freedoms that many still fight to secure - and resolve to continue the work of building a more just and inclusive America.
The Fourth of July invites us to imagine America not only as it is, but as it could be - a country where the ideals of freedom and equality are not just celebrated but fully realized. In these times of uncertainty, perhaps that vision is more necessary than ever.