The Fourth of July is a time to reflect on what has made America great. As we watch fireworks and listen to Tom Petty, many of us feel an instinctive patriotism when we look at the flag. But this instinct was not created in a vacuum. It is the byproduct of a unique culture and society.
Today, there are those among us who now feel an instinctive revulsion at the flag. Various celebrities have called for canceling Independence Day in the wake of the Dobbs decision. Others lament the fact that LGBT propaganda is not pushed in schools and still others complain about the independent spirit that reigns in the hearts of many Americans.
There can be no doubt that we are in an unparalleled time in our history as a nation. Political rifts continue to grow and violence is increasingly seen as an acceptable means of resolving political conflict.
Now, there were certainly other times in American history when there was great division; most notably during the Civil War. However, as we have lost touch with our cultural roots it has become increasingly difficult to understand what we are fighting against.
Any rational person would be confused and disturbed at something as perverse as drag queen story hour. And even traditional liberals are having misgivings about such topics as critical race theory. But when a society fails to give honor to the values that birthed it, one cannot be surprised when people act irrationally.
Independence Day is all about freedom, but despite the words of the Declaration of Independence, there is nothing self evident about freedom. The freedom that we have inherited from our forefathers is a distinct Judeo-Christian tradition that is grounded in history and philosophy.
Some of the first settlers to land in America were the Puritans of 1620. Seeking religious freedom, these Colonists landed at Plymouth and founded a new society. Their unique ability to govern themselves in a religious context, gave them a profound understanding of liberty that influenced the course of American history. Over 200 years later, the French traveler, Alexis de Tocquville stated that,
In the bosom of that obscure democracy, which still had not sired generals, or philosophers or great writers, a man could rise in the presence of a free people and give, to the acclamation of all, this beautiful definition of freedom: “Nor would I have you mistake in the point of of your own liberty. There is a liberty of a corrupt nature, which is affected both by men and beasts, to do what they list; and this liberty is inconsistent with authority, impatient of all restraining; by this liberty, Sumus Omnes Deteriores [we are all inferior]; ‘tis the grand enemy of truth and peace, and all the ordinances of God are bent against it. But there is a civil, a moral, a federal liberty, which is the proper end and object of authority; it is a liberty for that only which is just and good for this liberty you are to stand with the hazard of your very lives.
In the minds of these colonists, liberty was not an abstract concept that could be manipulated by intellectuals or perverted by vice. It was believed to be an enduring principle that was handed down by God. A submission to truth and justice were characteristic of this liberty, not the ability to do anything that one wished.
Alexis de Tocqueville was keenly aware of the influence of these origins on the minds of American citizens. He believed that these foundational ideas “now exert their influence beyond its llimts, over the whole American world. The civilization of New England has been like those fires lit in the hills that, after having spread heat around them, still tinge the furthest reaches of the horizon with their light.” Through this foundation, American citizens developed a deep connection to liberty that was both political and spiritual. The vibrant culture of American life, undergirded the political institutions, ensuring that citizens possessed enough virtue to remain free. By submitting to a higher authority, they were able to preserve freedom through good morals and a belief in the inalienable rights of their fellow citizens. The heroes of the American Revolution rose to seize and elaborate upon the lofty ideals that had been handed down to them. What emerged was a free society, dedicated to the inherent liberty and equality of all men.
However, a similar spirit of liberty exists that also shook societies during the 18th century. The French Revolution, which occurred only 13 years after the American Revolution gave birth to a completely alternative concept of freedom that led to death, suffering, and dictatorship.
The philosophers of this revolution preached a materialist creed that allowed men to become the creators of morality. One of the intellectual luminaries of the time period, Denis Diderot, wrote that “man will not be free until he has strangled the last king with the entrails of the last priest.” Such sentiments led the Revolutionaries in France to commit unspeakable acts of evil upon political opponents and anyone associated with the aristocracy.
Whereas the American Revolution led to the creation of a free republic. The French Revolution culminated in a bloody Reign of Terror and ended when Napoleon Bonaparte established himself as a dictator. To these Revolutionaries, freedom consisted of an absence of legal and moral restraints. The former aristocrat turned National Assembly member, Marquis de Sade summed their views up best when he said that “the most free people are those most friendly to murder.”
In a twisted way, de Sade was correct. One could conceive of freedom as the ability to do whatever one wishes. The ability to become God and create morality while acting like an animal.
But there is a higher freedom that calls men’s souls to greatness. A freedom that revels in virtue and justice. A freedom that recognizes the natural rights of all men and thanks God for bequeathing these rights. This is the freedom that our forefathers sacrificed for and this is the freedom that we celebrate on the 4th of July.
Well said!