Cheers to Us!

July 4, 2026

On July 4, 1776, the colonial subjects of a tyrannical king renounced their allegiance to the crown
and to the government that held dominion over them. They declared their right “to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.”

After laying out the justification for their radical act, they further declared that the “United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States,” with all the rights and powers accorded to such states. They called this new federation the “United States of America.”

Two hundred fifty years later, as we, the political descendants of those heroic people, mark the anniversary of their momentous declaration, we find ourselves the citizen subjects of a tyrannical president. Empowered by a corrupt majority of the Supreme Court, emboldened by a sycophantic Cabinet, and enabled by a cowardly Congress, he rains down abuse, terror, and death, on Americans and on the people of other nations.

Our democracy, our republic, and our Constitution are under attack. Even so (and despite interference by the Party-Pooper-in-Chief), I believe we have reason to celebrate our national birthday.

We celebrate the Declaration itself. To honor the founders of our United States, we can adapt and affirm their truths for our time. We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all people are created equal; that we are endowed by the very fact of our existence with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, dignity, and equity in the pursuit of our American dreams.

We celebrate our symbols and their meaning. When we salute our flag and sing our national anthem,
we make our pledge to our country, to our history (successes and failures), and to the potential we have yet to realize. We pledge to keep striving toward the ideals set forth in our Constitution: “to form
a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”

We celebrate our resilience. Yes, our democracy has sustained significant damage under the current administration. We the People have taken a beating, but we are not beaten. We have suffered serious setbacks before, and we recovered and moved forward. We can recover from the devastation wrought by this administration, too, and emerge stronger and more determined than ever to hold on to the vision of our founders.

We celebrate our tenacity. We must fight to keep our republic, and we fight with our votes. Voting is the most powerful weapon we have, and we are approaching the “use it or lose it” point. By hook or by crook, this administration is doing everything it can to discourage, dissuade, and disenfranchise voters in order to rig the midterm elections in favor of its candidates.

Voting is a civil right and a civic responsibility. It is the best means we have to secure our other rights and to exercise our power as the People. It is one way we as citizens can “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” and “bear true faith and allegiance” to it and to each other.

We celebrate our resolve. Your vote does count, but only if you cast it. So do your research, pick strong candidates—those who will uphold their oaths, fight back against the tyrant and his lackeys,
and use the remedies provided by the Constitution to free us from his despotism—then VOTE for
these candidates. And when the elections are over, the ballots tabulated, and the domestic enemies have been shown the door, we must resolve to build anew on the firm foundation of our Constitution.

We celebrate ourselves. We the People—All the People—are the heart and soul of our government.
We will reclaim it, restore it, and reshape it as necessary to ensure that our republic will endure, unassailable, and our democracy will live on, inviolable.

Happy Independence Day!


Sources:

The Declaration of Independence

Constitution of the United States of America

Oath of office: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title5/part3/subpartB/chapter33/subchapter2&edition=prelim