Independence Day in a Time of Struggle


The 4th of July is traditionally a day of celebration—fireworks, barbecues, parades, and the proud display of our flag. It's a day that marks our independence and reminds us of the values this nation was founded on, freedom, justice and the promise of liberty. 

With everything happening right now, being American feels different—and celebrating the 4th of July just doesn’t feel right. This year, patriotism means something else entirely. Today, the nation will watch the sky light up with fireworks, but all I can think about are the people who are separated from their loved ones, hurting in silence while others celebrate. I've never been overly patriotic, because this country has always struggled to live up to its own ideals of freedom. But this year, it’s even harder to ignore how far we are from that ideal. It feels like we’re moving backward instead of forward.

Now, we live in a country where families are feared being torn apart by ICE raids, where immigrant communities worry if they will be next. Where new laws, like the so-called “big beautiful bill,” threaten to make borders more unforgiving and push the promise of liberty further out of reach for many.

It’s painful to acknowledge, but true: our freedoms are under pressure. Not just for a few, but for many. And that challenges us all to ask—what does it really mean to be free?

Freedom isn’t just a word on a flag or a line in a speech. It’s the right to live without fear, to seek safety and opportunity, to have a voice and be heard. When those rights are taken away from some, none of us are truly free.

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