The Importance of Independence Day

By Father James Ronan

All of us have different memories of earlier times and celebrating the Fourth of July. I guess as a child, the first memories I have are of the fireworks and of trying to stay awake to see them. I did not have any sense of “freedom” and “independence”—such concepts were too adult for me. But the spirit of the day, the festivities, the flags and parades and fireworks, the cookouts and the family gatherings are beautiful memories for me. 

Surely, this is one of the special days when every citizen, new or born here, takes pride in our magnificent country. It is a holiday that ought to be free from partisanship: it belongs neither to the Democrats nor the Republicans. I for one, reject the idea that one group loves our country more than any other.

The core values of America come from the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Not long ago I read the biography of John Adams, one of the great patriots and founders of our nation. John Adams fought strenuously for a system of government and a Constitution for the new Republic that placed enormous importance on liberty. And this freedom was grounded in the inalienable dignity and worth of every person. This truth is one of the cornerstones of all Catholic Social teaching and one reason, I suppose, that our country is such a strongly religious nation, founded, UNDER GOD.

These days in Charlestown as well as in other communities, we have celebrated in many of the traditional ways. And perhaps because our country continues in the midst of a terrible war in Afghanistan, our sensitivity is all the more heightened about the precious values we cherish so much in this July 4th weekend. All of us who are veterans, who have served in uniform and the majority who haven’t, support, admire and respect the young men and women serving in the military today. Their job is a tough one. The war is increasingly unpopular and the end is not in sight. Questioning the war, however, does not diminish one’s support for the soldiers. In fact, it seems to me, it is the duty of us all to be concerned for their welfare and that could mean questioning our foreign policies.

And this might be the major point for me this Independence Day: the value of freedom on which our nation is built gives each of us the right to question and disagree with one another. At the same time, our Founding Fathers did not build in the right for us to ever disrespect another who holds a position different from our own. In fact the dignity of each person being a fundamental principle of our Nation’s Bill of Rights calls on every citizen to respect the other.

In this partisan time, and in the midst of debates on war, immigration, health care, gay rights and so much more, to be Christian and American calls on all of us to respect our brothers and sisters, no matter their background, race, sexual orientation, politics, ethnicity and beliefs. To do less would be un-American and un-Christian.