Every July Fourth brings fireworks, picnics, parades and happy celebrations of American freedom. But behind the festivities lies a deeper, more enduring story. To me, July Fourth is more than America’s birthday; it’s a reminder of unfinished work and a call to keep America’s promise alive and moving forward.
We associate the date with the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson. But July 4th carries additional meanings. Notably, on that day in 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration, both Jefferson and John Adams, two Founding Fathers and former presidents, passed away. Their deaths on that date feel almost fateful. They helped give birth to America and their passing reminds us how closely their lives were tied to America’s psyche.
Like many young Americans, I had to memorize the opening lines of Jefferson’s Declaration and the entirety of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Back then, getting the words right was my concern. But over the years, they took on a deeper meaning. They became reminders to be a good citizen and a better American.
The Declaration aimed to justify dissolving the political connection between the 13 colonies and Great Britain. It was ratified on July 4th, 1776. Our Constitution was adopted in 1788 and George Washington became our first president. Also embedded in Jefferson’s words is one of history’s most enduring ideas that “all men are created equal,” with unalienable rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These were bold words, being more aspirational than factual. In 1776, many were excluded from those promises. But I believe the idea took root and for nearly 250 years Americans have looked to it as a guiding star.
Eighty-seven years after the Declaration, Abraham Lincoln returned to that same idea at Gettysburg, where the decisive Civil War battle was fought from July 3rd through 5th. There, he asked whether a nation “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” could endure. Lincoln understood the Civil War was not just a military conflict. It was a test of whether the American experiment could survive. At that time, the outcome was far from certain.
Lincoln’s message to his generation and ours was clear: we must be dedicated to the unfinished work for which so many gave their lives. His words still challenge us to ensure that “government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” I believe that’s a burden worth shouldering.
Each time I reread these two documents, I’m struck by their clarity and moral force. They are short, strong and deeply connected. They almost feel like bookends. Both documents ask something of every American: that we carry forward the hard-won progress of the past 249 years. This is a duty I accept and take very seriously.
America has been blessed with leaders who helped renew our national spirit. In the latter 20th century, voices like John Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Ronald Reagan inspired us toward higher ideals and shared responsibility. Their words still echo and still matter. But so far in this century such leadership feels harder to find. Today’s political discourse generally feels bitter, shallow and performance based.
A functioning democracy requires compromise, but compromise has grown rare. When we can no longer work together our system begins to falter. If we lose the ability to listen, to reason and to find common ground, we risk losing everything past generations built for us. That isn’t fearmongering, it’s historical reality. And it’s a real threat to the democracy we’ve inherited. Shame on us if we allow it to decline on our watch.
This year, I hope we all look beyond the fireworks. Also, I hope we read the Declaration and the Gettysburg Address not as relics but as roadmaps. We are not the Founders. We are the stewards. We have inherited something precious. We have a duty to strengthen and pass it on in better shape than we found it.
The question now is: Will we do our part? Will we rise above the anger and the division? Will we find the courage to compromise? This is our moment. This is our watch. History and our heirs will be our judges.
This is a contributed opinion column. Jim Ludlow is executive producer of the Good Government Show Podcast and founder of the Good Government Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering ethical leadership and civic engagement. He lives in Fogelsville. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author, and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication. Do you have a perspective to share? Learn more about how we handle guest opinion submissions at themorningcall.com/opinions.
