By Litzi Aguilar
Historically, the Fourth of July is a holiday meant to celebrate the Continental Congress’s approval of the Declaration of Independence. For many years, it was not celebrated. This varied among different parties, who claimed it would be controversial or carry anti-sentiments against the British. It was only after the War of 1812 and after the deaths of former President Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4th, 1826, did prints of the Declaration began to circulate throughout the country. Then, in 1870, Congress declared July 4th to be a national holiday.
Since then, the Fourth of July has been celebrated every year without fail. This holiday carries a philosophical way of viewing patriotism. Not to confuse it with nationalism, which is the idea of a community based on one’s ethnicity or values coming together as a unified identity. Patriotism is the love one has for a specific political community, but not the existing government. It is not blind loyalty, but rather cherishing one’s home country and creating solutions for the better of the many when situations go awry.
With the recent developments in our politics, there has been widespread unrest and disillusionment throughout the nation. With the Fourth of July looming over us, many find it difficult to celebrate their patriotism in earnest. Through many studies and recorded surveys, it’s shown that many young generations have reached an all-time low in regards to their sentiments of American patriotism. Though it is not necessarily recorded as to why they feel this way, the results are still there for all to see.
How can one regain one’s patriotism in our current climate? One must understand that patriotism is our present and future. One must also consider the sacrifices and contributions of those who came before us. To honor those movements, we must approach new opportunities and seek ways to make positive changes in our community through advocacy and active participation. One must also understand and reflect on the fundamental values on which our country was built. The three values are: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are values born of the 18th-century Enlightenment, which have influenced how our lives are governed since the birth of this nation. Through these values, we can learn to express ourselves and seek common ground with others without tearing each other down.
To conclude this article, I’ll end it with a quote from former President Abraham Lincoln’s “Electric Cord Speech”:“…they have a right to claim it as though they were blood of the blood, and flesh of the flesh of the men who wrote that Declaration, and so they are. That is the electric cord in that Declaration that links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving men together, that will link those patriotic hearts as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of men throughout the world.”