“And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she’s getting threadbare and wearing thin, But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in. ‘Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.”
-Johnny Cash, “Ragged Old Flag” (1974)
Summer is officially here! And there’s no better way to celebrate this new season each year than with a unique celebration of our freedom as a country, or as we all know it as, Independence Day.
Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate. Arguably, I believe it’s perhaps one of today’s greatest examples of pluralism in the United States. Regardless of our differences, Americans of all backgrounds and circumstances come together on the Fourth of July to celebrate a country we love dearly and the freedoms we all enjoy. It’s a beautiful display of unity when you think about it.
The unique sense of pride in our American identity, however, is declining. According to a recent Gallup poll, 41% of today’s Americans, or essentially two in five people, feel extremely proud to be a part of our country, compared to 2001-2017 where percentages were above 75%.
This Independence Day, I challenge each of us to be optimistic about the future. As Johnny Cash sang so well, we’ve certainly experienced hard times as a country, and no doubt we will continue to experience them as we move forward, but difficult times are a chance for us to learn, grow, and come out on the other end a better country than we were before. As history shows us, I am confident this will be the case again.
Independence Day is a day for us to reflect as Americans on where we’ve come as a country and charge ahead with the same optimism and hope displayed by our Founding Fathers on this ceremonial day when they wrote the radical words that, “all men are created equal”.
Since then, we have much to be proud of. At our core, the ability for a country filled with so much diversity of thought, race, culture, and ideology to come together and celebrate common humanity rooted in our American identity on July Fourth is quite remarkable.
At the Bush Institute, we are focused on initiatives related to strengthening our democracy here at home. Particularly, we explore the nature of pluralism and how it’s at work in our country. We believe that freedom is universal, and it’s not something we should take for granted.
Our showcase of freedom in the United States isn’t just about us here at home. Rather, it’s a display to the world of what freedom looks like. It’s a showcase of the opportunity that can come when each of us are allowed to thrive and succeed, while also holding true to our individual beliefs we are able to freely believe.
This is not a privilege many have across the world today. It is an aspirational dream that emboldens freedom fighters that they will one day have the same chance to experience this freedom we feel here in the United States. Our country must continue to be that visionary inspiration for those who long to be free.
So, whether you spend your holiday barbecuing with friends and family, enjoying a day at the lake, hiking one of our country’s beautiful mountains, or watching your local fireworks display, I encourage you to celebrate freedom this July Fourth with optimism and togetherness as fellow Americans. Because the unity we’re showing the world on this day is stronger than any other force out there.
“So we raise her up every morning, Take her down every night.
We don’t let her touch the ground And we fold her up right.
On second thought, I DO like to brag,
‘Cause I’m mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag.”
-Johnny Cash, “Ragged Old Flag” (1974)
