Ruminations on a Fractured Fourth: An American Looks at Today's America

Heading out to celebrations in Los Angeles with my immigrant wife and son, we'll make sure they have their green cards ready.

It’s Independence Day, and I can’t let it pass without sharing a greeting to our community. As someone who chose to serve—to raise my hand, take an oath, and carry that commitment for life—I’ve always believed in this country, even as I also always had my issues with it. America was never perfect, but from the start, it seemed to me that the idea of America was good. It stood for something positive. Not just the idea that all men and women are created equal; not just the aspiration, however imperfectly pursued, of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It’s more than that. I love the generosity and ingenuity of so many Americans; the volunteer spirit that binds us in crisis; the creative energy that fuels our culture; and the incredible diversity of backgrounds, faiths, and ideas that make up our “melting pot.” I really love all of that dearly.

Even when we had tragic chapters in the past—Vietnam, Watergate, Jim Crow, and more—it seemed we always managed to press on and evolve toward something better. Today, though, it feels different. The sense that we will sort this out and move forward once again is not really there, at least not for me. It feels like we’ve landed in a hot mess that feels unique: deep political polarization that has crossed over into tribalism; eroded norms of democratic governance that may have progressed beyond the point of no return; outsized corporate and special-interest sway that existed long before the current administration; systemic racial and social injustice; a climate emergency we’ve barely begun to address; rampant misinformation; widening economic divides; threats to electoral integrity; and rising authoritarian impulses in our public life. Not to mention just a basic level of governmental cruelty that shocks half the population, and thrills the other half. It’s a tangle of challenges that, frankly, makes me wonder whether we’ll ever fully recover.

And yet— it’s a cliche, but hope does “spring eternal.” Maybe we haven’t quite passed the point of no return. Maybe the ship can be righted. Maybe there are still enough Americans of conscience, courage, and compassion to steer us back toward our better angels. And I’m not talking about blue versus red, progressive versus conservative. I’m talking about the forces of “let’s work together as Americans to fix this” versus the forces of “you’re evil, you’re the enemy, burn it all down and start over.” I fight back feelings of despiar. Despair isn’t productive, after all, and who knows — this may not be an inevitable slide into an authoritarian abyss, even if it feels that way.

So — we head out tonight for fireworks and celebration, I’ll hold that glimmer of hope in my heart. This is the first 4th of July on American soil for my immigrant wife and son. I’ll make sure they have their green cards on them. ICE is everywhere in Los Angeles.

With all these conflicting thoughts in mind, I wish you all a Happy Fourth of July, and hope you find a way to make it meaningful.