Think about America this July 4th

This July 4th, flowers clap across the sky, and families gather for cooking and parades to celebrate America’s founding. But amid a patriotic fanfare, we need to pause. This is not just to look back at what America is, but to consider what America is. Because American experiments are at risk right now.

Our democracy is fraying. Not because we don’t agree, but because we forget how we oppose it. We no longer have sincerity to our neighbors. We treat politics like a blood sport, and our fellow citizens are like enemies. We are trained to see countries in red or blue, country or urban, patriotic or non-American binary terms – by algorithms, cable news segments, influencers. This idea doesn’t just stall progress. It abandons the foundation of our autonomy.

After all, democracy is not self-interpretation. It will not run on autopilot. It only survives when citizens choose to maintain it – when we choose to appear, contribute and serve. And that’s what we need to recover: a culture of service. I have seen firsthand how deeply unified it is, not just military service. I mean service in all forms: education, caregiving, volunteering, mentoring, voting, working in public institutions, even simply an engaged neighbor. These humble and unattractive actions make a pluralistic society work. They are how trust is built, how divisions are bridged, and how nations are renewed.

I have seen this spirit up close. My grandfather was only 17 when he requested an age exemption from the Marines so he could fight in World War II. He has returned from the injured from the Pacific, but his beliefs remain as it is, the country is flawed and incomplete – and is always worth defending. My father moved here from Venezuela. But he had a work ethic built on difficulties and belief in American promises. This country gave him a shot. And in return, he managed to save countless lives on the operating table. My mother has been a pediatrician for over 30 years. My stepmother served as a nurse. My wife has deployed in the Middle East several times. My brother wakes up every morning and is ready to take a bullet for his country. They all serve in their own way, not for the perfection of the country, nor for the possibilities.

That distinction is important. America was never intended to be a finished product. The founder did not declare a mission achieved in 1776. They simply set the experiment on fire. It depends on every generation and decide whether to continue doing it. We inherit the questions, not the conclusion. Will you take this opportunity to stand up? Or let them be indifferent, divided, sarcasm and what their enemies didn’t do.

Behind all the flags that were waving on July 4th this year, humans – Americans – are doing their best to accommodate our shared ideals. Instead, assuming the worst of our fellow men and women corresponds to a brand of pessimism that America never tolerate and never tolerate. Whether they were born here, newly naturalized, or prayed at churches, mosques or synagogues. Whether your ancestors fought in the revolution or arrived yesterday – you are part of this American experiment. And the next chapter depends on us all.

That doesn’t mean we ignore our differences. On the contrary, American strength has always been discovered in our differences: thoughts, background, identity, beliefs, and more. America has always been a nation of indigenous peoples and immigrants, and has enslaved ancestors, pioneers, workers and visionaries who fought for dignity. Our history is complex and often painful, but marked by progress driven by people of every walk in life. We may oppose — and even passionately — but we are at our best, and we do so under a shared commitment to each other and the Republic.

That’s too many truths in our age of wrath – that we are together in this. Those who voted differently are not your enemy. Democracy requires more than posting opinions – it requires effort, listening, compromise, and more than anything, belief. Belief in each other. The belief that we can oppose it without dehumanizing it. The belief that freedom, dignity, and autonomy are still worth fighting – not with fist or anger, but with courage, compassion, and citizen grit.

History teaches us that most democracies fail. They don’t collapse overnight. They gradually erode when citizens stop appearing, stop believing, and stop serving. It should be wary of us, but even more importantly, mobilize us.

This Independence Day is not just a celebration of what America has been. I recommend building what America is. The fireworks go out. Hot dogs are available. But the next chapter in this country – not yet written – belongs to each and every one of us.

Stephen Alango is an Indigenous Florida, former US Marine and lawyer. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer, the US Marine Corps, the Department of Navy, the Department of Defense, or the US government.