DL Opinion columns

Folks reflecting on July 4th – by Deborah Levine

(column for The Chattanooga Times Free Press)

Approaching July 4th, I decided to ask folks what this day meant to them. Some said that it was all about family: getting together, enjoying food, and watching fire works. Celebrating with family was everything. But others wanted to go beyond family gatherings. “I’m ashamed to say that it wasn’t until our country’s unique experiment began to feel threatened that I started to seek more than general knowledge of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Amendments. The Fourth of July and its significance have always meant parades, picnics and fireworks. My patriotism is deep and genuine. My foundation of fact is weak. I suspect that I’m not alone.”

Fortunately, there were many comments that highlighted The Declaration of Independence. “Remember exactly what’s written into the Declaration: commitment to government of, by, and for the people, all of whom are equal as citizens. It’s an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to our founding principles.”  And there were specific references regarding it: “The Declaration of Independence was so powerful, it started a wave of immigration due to four words: “Endowed by their creator”. Not God, not Jesus. In a world of theocratic monarchies, it promised freedom the world had never seen.”

The issue of religion was frequently mentioned: “Freedom of religion is a treasure!! Hearing of the terrible persecution of various religions in the world cause me to pray that God will continue to bless America!” But the concern regarding Christian nationalism led to comments like this one. “A reminder that the founders understood the importance of separation of church and state and that a sign of the health of a nation is in its ability to recognize that as in life we are to be open to and willing to continually grow and learn wisdom and insights in order to become the best we can be. Looking at today’s politics, pessimism prevailed.  “Modern Congressional sessions can’t match those held behind closed doors for days as the Founding Fathers hammered out details of a new government intentionally separating church and state that would insure each citizen a say in how business was conducted while each process was protected by checks and balances.”

That pessimism extends to the Declaration’s assertion, “All men are created equal.” Several people quoted Frederick Douglass’ 1852 statement:  “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?… This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” (The Emancipation Proclamation was years later.) No surprise that one person commented, “The current nostalgia for slavery, creating a war on women, as well as this administration’s corruption with lies and bribes means that our innocence has evaporated. 

I agree that the comment, “The 4th of July means to me that I must help preserve our republic, this land that I love.” But how our divided nation will preserve itself escapes me as it does this person.  “I don’t mind civilized arguments in which I defend the position that the current administration has been unremittingly destructive to the USA’s very fragile form of capitalism, but I dread shouting matches and physical violence. I also want a nuanced consideration of what “democracy” and “freedom” actually mean these days or any of our days, and that is not the usual approach, at least not on the 4th.”

Reflecting on our intense divisions should not stop us from preserving what is good. As this friend explained: “I’m thinking July 4th means celebrating the pockets of good that still exist in this country – all the folks who are seeking to move past the chaos and hatred to reestablish governance that is based on integrity, compassion, and reason.”

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