America's 250th Birthday

In 1976, the United States celebrated its 200^th birthday.  I was a senior in college.  I remember that everyone I knew was excited about reaching this milestone.  Our country had come through some tough times recently and we were still struggling with a wide variety of serious issues.  The racial strife of the late 60’s was largely over, although tensions were still there and occasionally flaring up.  The final fall of Saigon had occurred just two years prior and many of our classmates were Vietnam veterans.  Nixon had resigned after it was clear that the House and Senate were going to impeach and remove him from office.  A presidential election was already heating up for that November.  The oil embargo of 1973 had led to a long recession with high unemployment, high inflation, and high interest rates.  Despite all that, there was still a feeling that we would get through our difficulties and that the bicentennial was something to celebrate.

 

A group of us college guys decided to help celebrate the occasion.  We piled into a couple of cars, drove from Tennessee to Philadelphia, and crashed in some fleabag hotel so that we could be at the site of the signing on its 200^th anniversary.  It was a fantastic day of celebration with maybe a hundred thousand of our new best friends roaming around Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the surrounding area.  Even some rain didn’t dampen spirits.  It was like winning the Super Bowl.  It didn’t matter whether you were a Republican or Democrat, black or white, or really anything else.  We were all Americans and still going strong.  So celebrate!

 

I don’t feel that same spirit today.  In 1976, the big national events were non-partisan.  President Ford made several speeches around the country, stressing the principles of the Declaration, the work of the founding fathers, the continuing experiment of democracy, our shared history, and called for unity, pride, and collective responsibility.  The Bicentennial belonged to everyone.  Now, I find that sense of common purpose much harder to see.  Our news sources, social media, and politics often divide us into competing camps.  Even the national celebrations in Washington are partisan than unifying.  Whether that perception is fair or not, it leaves me less inclined to travel anywhere for “official” festivities.

 

Instead, I’m going to celebrate our nation’s 250^th birthday right here at home.  In my very red county, people care more about their neighbors than political labels.  The tent handing out Republican flyers will be just as ignored as the one across the way handing out Democratic ones.  Most people will be there for parades, food trucks, music, marching bands, the fireworks, and spending time with friends and families.  That’s the America I want to celebrate.  Not politicians, not political power.  Just the remarkable fact that this country, and its people, are still here and still going strong.  And that’s worth celebrating.