I belong to a post-traumatic stress disorder support group for veterans. Our group leader asked what we were going “to do” about July 4. The response was varied. Some, like myself, said they had come to grips with the noise; others said they used earplugs or went far away from the racket that recalled war experiences.
One response was particularly evocative: “Well, I guess that is what we fought for, so people could do dumb things.” While unfortunate, the response make me think about the meaning of the Fourth of July. John Adams told his wife that he thought the celebration should be marked with prayer, bells, pomp and parades. After all, the founders had pledged their “lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor” to the cause. It was the basis for the liberties that would come. The Declaration of Independence provided the way for the Constitution, which over the next 200-plus years would be fought over and amended to bring about a “more perfect union.”
And we are still not finished, nor may we never be, as we evolve as a society that seeks the liberties for all to hold dear.
The Fourth of July is not about fireworks, it’s about celebrating an ideal whose perfection is still sought. It should be celebrated with all the pomp and parades and bells that Adams hoped. It should be a time when parents discuss the meaning of the declaration with their children and neighbors and the struggles it took to achieve its goals and for which we remain alert to keep those freedom for all.
