Having grown up in the middle of World War II, I have always been patriotic. We were the good guys. We stand for liberty, freedom, and the rights of all. I was aware from a young age that we didn’t live up to our ideals. I experienced religious bigotry. Living in a racially segregated city, I saw racial bigotry, though I was not one of its victims. I was keenly aware of the gap between ideals and reality. I imagined that our society would progress, expanding rights and freedoms over time to everyone. At the moment, we are in a period of regression. The hopefulness that I felt has almost evaporated.
I used to love the Fourth of July and the surge of national pride and optimism that went with it. Today, after three years of an ignorant, bigoted, crude, foul-mouthed leader who puts his political fortunes above the lives and liberties of our citizens, I don’t feel like celebrating.
Whatever else Trump has done, he has extinguished any sense of exceptionalism. He has made us look squarely at the fact that about 40% of our fellow citizens endorse his noxious actions.
My hope for the future is that America will once again, someday, be the America of our ideals and dreams. I hope to live to see a rebirth of kindness, compassion, love for others, respect for the commons, civic duty, social responsibility, love of nature, decency, and all those other currently out-of-fashion virtues that we once celebrated. This is a dark time. Let it soon pass into history as a sordid chapter in our national life.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane, you have put many of my own thoughts into words. I, too, would like to fly my flag proudly and celebrate America, but in these dark days it is difficult to do. I also hope for better days to come when Americans can hold their heads high and once again be proud to be Americans and also be respected around the world. I am choosing to look at the proverbial glass as half full and be hopeful for our future. It is a much more quiet 4th than many, but it allows time for reflection.
I choose to stand with the late Gene Roddenberry of Star Trek fame who saw a better future for humanity. We will get through these bad times and be better for having survived them.
I wish you and yours a Happy 4th, and I wish you a Happy Belated Birthday.
perhaps relevant, something I wrote in 2018 and reposted this morning: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/7/4/1958164/–to-be-an-American
I share much of your sentiment. I grew up in the ’50s believing in American exceptionalism. Sadly, my beliefs have changed. But I do want to take a moment to say, “Thank-you, Diane, for working tirelessly to make both this country and this world a better place!” Your writings have kept me better informed and in a place where I can sometimes effect change in education, which is near & dear to my heart. Thank-you so much!
Nicely said, Diane . . . a reflection of my own sense of things at present.
I was glad that, yesterday, PBS aired their special on the history of the Statue of Liberty. They showed brief interviews with people who had come through Ellis Island, and many others . . . their love of this country shone through in every interview. One writer said he had always been in love with her. Others said they cried and fell to their knees when they first saw her; one was a survivor of World War II whose entire family was taken to Auschwitz.
One person said the most important thing . . . that the most dangerous thing for America is forgetfulness, and taking our freedoms for granted. He also said that immigrants understand her meaning more than anyone else can. Have a happy and peaceful Fourth. CBK
Afterthought to the wonders of democracy:
The problem with democracy and its freedoms, for instance, freedom of speech (as Mark Zuckerberg is finding out), is that there are always those who take it upon themselves to abuse it.
And so, by that abuse and of necessity, they, and not the idea of democracy itself, call down the forces of outer laws and regulations; when, if democracy were ever pure in the hearts of The People, those laws and regulations would be written there–in our hearts.
Education doesn’t always ‘work;’ but that writing-in-the-heart is why it will always be needed, . . . and constantly improved. CBK
Happy (or as happy as we can be these days) July 4th to all the devoted teachers, active or retired, out there!
When my blood stops
Someone else’s will not
When my head rolls off
Someone else’s will turn
You can mark my words
I’ll make changes to earth
While I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to earth
Tiny changes to earth
Mass confusion spoon fed to the blind
Serves now to define our cold society
From which we’ll rise
Over love and over hate
Through this Iron Sky that’s fast becoming our mind
Over fear and into freedom
You’ve just got to hold on
Beautifully said, Diane. And a happy fourth to you and yours.
Diane: Have faith. A substantial portion of the 40% who voted for Trumpism did so holdig their nose. We have to remove the cynical far right of American politics with the inclusive center. This is exactly what you are doing here. Keep up the good work and we will all reclaim our dedication to right, so that government of, by and for the people shall indeed survive.
Your words in this posting are a light in dark times. They remind me that we are still very much a work in progress. Thank you for your critique, clarity, and optimism.