Celebrating the Fourth in difficult times

We’ve made it to July Fourth. That means a lot in this year of perpetual anxiety, marked by months of waiting for signs of brighter times.

We’ve made it to July Fourth. That means a lot in this year of perpetual anxiety, marked by months of waiting.

Still, there’s no doubt many people aren’t much in the mood to celebrate. While the strictest regulations related to COVID-19 have been lifted, life is far from back to normal. And the news offers us constant reminders that the virus threat is very much with us and will likely strike hard if we let down our guard.

This Independence Day observance also is marked by a debate over the nature of America itself and the very event that the holiday commemorates.

Protesters angry over persistent racial inequities in America are calling for a reevaluation of the nation’s history, particularly the role of slavery and its aftermath in shaping our society to this day. That includes the men who produced the Declaration of Independence and led the American Revolution. Thomas Jefferson, the man who stirred many a conscience by writing that all men are created equal, was a slave owner. So were many of his fellow Founding Fathers.

So how do we celebrate July Fourth at this time when our nation’s legacy is being questioned? Those who want to look beyond barbecues and fireworks should consider spending some time exploring the subject of our early history.

Two mistakes must be avoided. One is to treat the Founding Fathers as plaster saints. It’s possible to salute their achievements while acknowledging their defects.

The other mistake would be to toss the Founding Fathers aside altogether for failing to live up to modern sensibilities. There’s much we can learn from their stories. Whatever their faults, they deserve recognition for creating a nation with high ideals, even though they and we haven’t always lived up to them.

Feel free to crack open some history books to consider these issues, but we’d like to suggest a less conventional method. The Broadway musicals “1776” and “Hamilton” tell the story of America’s founding in an entertaining but thought-provoking manner. And you can watch both of them on TV this weekend. “1776” airs at 2:30 p.m. today on Turner Classic Movies, and a filmed performance of “Hamilton” is available for streaming on Disney Plus.

Yes, these are musicals. Some accuracy in details is sacrificed for the sake of storytelling. But they succeed in delivering the truth about just hBow difficult and unlikely the story of American independence really was. They portray the Founding Fathers as flesh-andblood figures taking on a seemingly impossible task. “1776” teaches us that what happened in the summer of that year was hardly the foregone conclusion many assume it was. “Hamilton” shows us the founding of America as a great underdog story, casting people of color in the leading roles to draw parallels between the stories of the nation’s founders and the many immigrants who went on to populate the nation and make it thrive.

Both shows are filled with depictions of fierce political arguments. This should remind us that long before there was such a thing as social media, Americans have been at each other’s throats over politics. It’s worth remembering that as we bemoan the terrible friction in our nation’s public discourse today. Our nation was formed and endures because people were willing to put aside their strong differences and find a way to live with one another. When the dust settles after a tumultuous 2020, we must be prepared to do so again.

On this July Fourth, let us recommit to keeping the American experiment alive. That means arguing passionately for our beliefs just as the nation’s Founders did, but ultimately being ready to sit down together and find common ground. To make that possible, don’t assume the worst about your political opponents’ motives. Seek to persuade others rather than engaging in personal attacks.

And for one day, let us unite in celebrating the ideals of liberty so eloquently stated in the Declaration of Independence, and commit to doing a better job of living up to them.