An Imperfect 4th of July

Just this week, the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious admissions at UNC and Harvard. Coming just before the 4th of July holiday, it was a stark reminder for me that equality was a founding belief, not a founding practice. We have a long way to go to, and the SCOTUS ruling was a step backward.

Even as millions celebrate our independence next week, we cannot forget that America’s founding story is one of slavery and genocide. In the wake of this decision, we must not let 4th of July be a day of easy forgetfulness. Wise people know that you  need to remember your mistakes in order to avoid repeating them. There is so much to celebrate about our nation’s ideals, and yet it is so easy to forget how far we have to go to live up to them.

Equality was a founding belief, not a founding practice.

At the heart of the American dream is a constant quest for a more perfect union. The best days of America do not lie behind us. Our founders got a lot of stuff wrong, but what they got right was an insistence that America keep growing and changing. There is a reason that Juneteenth – a day celebrates the emancipation of enslaved Americans – is becoming a more meaningful holiday for many Americans.

The dream of America that is “better than before” is also a challenge. Our nation asks each generation to step up to the plate and become founders ourselves. We are supposed to re-found America each and every generation – examining the foundations, buttressing the walls, keeping up the roof, and becoming better and more united as a result.

There is nothing more patriotic than to question the ugly parts of our nation’s history, because that is what helps us grow. Only by doing so can we know what we need to work on, and undertake the essential work of re-founding an America that is better than the one we inherited. That is what I will be celebrating this year.

Imperfect Uniter of the Week: More in Common

More in Common’s mission is to build a more united and inclusive America that is resilient to the profound threats posed by our country’s polarization. They believe that a unifying story of ‘us’ is more powerful than ‘us-versus-them’ narratives that divides us as Americans from each other. 

Ways to Connect:

• LinkedIn: More in Common
• Twitter: @MoreInCommon_US