This Saturday, America will mark a milestone: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is a moment worthy of celebration, reflection and, perhaps more importantly, conversation.
Reaching 250 years is not a small achievement. Our nation’s history is filled with extraordinary accomplishments, from scientific breakthroughs and economic innovation to acts of courage and sacrifice by generations of Americans who worked to build a better future.
But our history is also very complicated. We have faced wars, inequality, injustice and deep divisions about what our country should be and who should share in its promise.
As we approach this anniversary, it is impossible to ignore that America feels more divided than it has in decades. Political disagreements have too often turned into personal attacks. Communities are wrestling with questions about identity and values. It can sometimes feel as though we have forgotten how to disagree while still respecting one another.
But America’s 250th birthday should remind us that disagreement itself is part of our story.
The founders created a nation based on the idea that people could govern themselves, debate ideas and seek a more perfect union.
That phrase a “more perfect union” is important because it acknowledges that the work of building America was never finished. Each generation has been called upon to protect our ideals while addressing the challenges of its time.
Celebrating America does not mean ignoring its flaws. True patriotism is not about pretending the past was perfect; it is about recognizing both the achievements and the struggles that shaped us. It is about having the courage to learn from our mistakes and the commitment to continue striving toward the principles of liberty, equality and opportunity—for all.
So how do we celebrate this anniversary?
We start locally. Right here in our community.
We celebrate by attending local events, supporting our neighbors, volunteering for those in need and appreciating the people who make our cities stronger. We listen to different perspectives. We teach our children that being an American is not defined by where someone was born, what they look like or how they vote, but by a shared commitment to the values that bind us together.
We honor the men and women who have served our country, the small business owners who invest in our communities, the educators who prepare future generations and the countless volunteers who quietly make a difference every day (the Freedom Fest volunteers putting on this weekend’s events are a perfect example).
Most importantly, we remember that America has always been a work in progress. The story of our nation is not only written by presidents, generals and historical figures; it is also written every day by ordinary citizens who choose to participate, contribute and care.
The 250th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate what America has been, acknowledge what it has not yet achieved and recommit ourselves to what it can become.
In a time when division often receives the most attention, let this anniversary be a reminder that we have far more in common than what separates us. We can love our country while recognizing its imperfections.
We can debate passionately while treating one another with dignity. We can honor our history while working together to shape a better future.
That is the promise of America—not perfection, but the ongoing pursuit of a better nation. And that is a birthday worth celebrating.
Dear Robert,
Yes, well said. We teach our children . . . what?
During the continuing celebration of the Bicentennial of the Constitution, I did the Mock Trial Demonstrations for Gilroy Jr. High students at the old Gilroy Courthouse. We taught that we must obey all laws, not only those with which we agreed. We are the United States of America, not the United States of California.
If I take an oath of office to uphold the Constitution, I don’t get to select parts of it to uphold. At the Constitutional Convention, and the States’ ratifying conventions a majority of which elected to ratify it, the Supremacy Clause was included. It says that whenever State laws conflict with paramount federal law, the State inferior law must fall.
Washington said to Western Pennsylvania farmers that federal law must be obeyed despite their opposition to it. Jackson said the same to South Carolina “nullifiers.” Ike said it to Arkansas Governor and segregationists that he would uphold his oath and enforce federal desegregation law despite the opposition of pro-segregation Southerners.
Today, local elected officials ought to teach the children to obey the law, not follow their example of defying federal law they don’t like. And so should we all. Happy 250th Independence Day.
Joseph P. Thompson, Esq., Past-President, 1999-2001, 2006, Gilroy-Morgan Hill Bar Assn. E-Mail: Tr******@*****ll.Net
Dear Friends,
Teach the children . . . what?
Here’s Lincoln’s advice: Abraham Lincoln 01/27/1837
“The answer (to anarchy) is simple. Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well-wisher to his posterity swear by the blood of the Revolution never to violate in the least particular the laws of the country, and never to tolerate their violation by others. As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and laws let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor. Let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the charter of his own and his children’s liberty. Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother to the lisping babe that prattles on her lap; let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in primers, spellingbooks, and in almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay of all sexes and tongues and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altar.”
Thank you, and Happy 250th Independence Day.
Joe Thompson: E-Mail: Tr******@*****ll.Net