On social media, birthday celebrators say it’s just another trip around the sun. When the birthday belongs to a nation, it’s also a time for serious reflection. On the Fourth of July, the nation commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
After the Declaration was approved on July 4, 56 members of the Second Continental Congress started signing the document on Aug. 2, in Philadelphia. The Founding Fathers’ vision of the future – liberty, equality and democracy – could not have foreseen some of the caustic debate currently swirling.
But here we are, celebrating another Independence Day. Celebrating the Fourth in 2024 also means contemplating profound and unpopular issues. Yes, politics.
It is one of those topics, along with religion, that some people warn against due to its inflammatory nature. But it is nearly impossible to ignore. Moreover, the divisions that mark today’s politics are worth talking about.
Even on a day when this nation should be celebrating unity. Sure, there are local, statewide and some federal elections. But it is the “Big One” preoccupying the minds of millions.
The 2024 presidential election underscores the polarization gripping this nation. It is a battle between an elder statesman of the halls of politics versus a controversial businessman, only a few years younger. The comparison highlights differing philosophies of how government should work.
These are seasoned men, whose bases are fervent. In a historic mat.