On July Fourth, the United States will celebrate the 248th anniversary of America’s independence from the British Empire. The Declaration of Independence was largely written by Thomas Jefferson in June of 1776, and adopted by Congress on the afternoon of July 4 after two days of revisions.
Today, Independence Day is celebrated with revelry, patriotism and pride. It is a day when we collectively celebrate one common interest — America.
As we reflect upon the landscape of our country, we find that there are more interests that unite us than divide us. We see the genesis, production and dawn of some of the most magnificent, awe-inspiring and brilliant creations that have made us a better, more united and stronger America. It is no wonder that countless people around the world travel to and seek citizenship in the United States of America.
Our scenery includes such sights as the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, the Liberty Bell, the Lincoln Memorial, the Grand Canyon, and the Stonewall Inn. There are other national treasures that capture our history, including the Smithsonian and Guggenheim museums and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
The honor roll of political pioneers include: George Washington. Abraham Lincoln. Theodore Roosevelt. John McCain. Thurgood Marshall. Rosa Parks. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Jimmy Carter. Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Mitt Romney. Barack Obama. Ketanji Brown Jackson. Cesar Chavez.
Some of our innovators and disrupters are etched in America’s past and future. These leaders include: Alexander Graham Bell. Benjamin Franklin. Thomas Edison. Jonas Sauk. The Wright brothers. Henry Ford. George Washington Carver. Steve Jobs. Bill Gates. Larry Page. Sergey Brin. Jeff Bezos. Elon Musk. Oprah Winfrey. José Andrés.
Americans are resilient and optimistic. We are conquerors and overcomers. We are critics, dissenters and cynics. We are rebounders, reconstructionists and rebuilders who came together after Sept. 11. We are students and survivors of COVID-19.
We are thought leaders and humanitarians. We decided to help one another with the creation of life-changing companies and organizations: Goodwill Industries. PETA. Habitat for Humanity. The American Red Cross. Feeding America. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Special Olympics. Alcoholics Anonymous. The American Civil Liberties Union. The NAACP.
We respect differences of opinions, and honor freedom of speech on contentious topics: Guns. Abortion. Voting rights. Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Migration.
We welcome all religions and non-religions. Christianity. Judaism. Islam. Buddhism. Hinduism. Agnostic. Atheist.
We are literary lovers. John Steinbeck. Mark Twain. Ernest Hemingway. Emily Dickinson. Langston Hughes. Walt Whitman. James Baldwin. Toni Morrison. J.D. Salinger. Ralph Ellison. Maya Angelou. Harper Lee. Edgar Allan Poe.
We support democracy in action. Marches. Protests. Sit-ins. Rallies. Demonstrations. Appeals. Demands. Resistance. Negotiation. Amendments. Strikes. Pardons. Riots. Restitution. Reconciliation.
We are sports lovers. In competitions, we rally for a win. Basketball. Football. Baseball. Hockey. Boxing. Tennis. Golf. Soccer. NASCAR. Pickleball.
America is: Rock ‘n’ roll. Jazz. Country. Classical. Blues. Hip hop. Rap. Soul. Reggae. Born in the U.S.A.
America is: The Heisman Trophy. The Stanley Cup. The World Series. The Super Bowl. The Grammys. The Oscars. The Tony Awards. The Greatest of All Times. The Presidential Medal of Freedom.
We stand by what we believe:
“In God we trust.” “We the people of the United States.” “Home of the free, land of the brave.” “To protect and serve.” “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” “E pluribus unum (Out of many — one”). “With liberty and justice for all.” “And our flag was still there.”
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The celebration of America is not just one day. It is the spirit of who we are and how we gather. Every time we come together to cheer for a team, pray, advocate for one another, celebrate a win, sit and listen, salute our heroes, break down “us vs. them,” embrace change and respect differences, we celebrate America. May we do this with gratitude, pride and respect, every single day.
The Rev. Theresa A. Dear is a national board member of the NAACP and a Deseret News contributor.