The 250th Anniversary of American Independence and Liberty amidst Challenges to Both

Two Hundred Fifty years ago today, on July 2, 1776 in Philadelphia’s State House (now “Independence Hall”) the Second Continental Congress approved a resolution declaring the thirteen British Colonies represented at the body to be sovereign States independent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. As they later explained in the Declaration of Independence, they were no longer loyal to the British Crown because King George II had violated their God-given rights and because the British had treated them unequally by imposing taxes and laws over them while denying them representation in Parliament. The American States, which later formed a federal union based on a republican representative government called the United States of America, have enjoyed a quarter century of independence and liberty. But it would be misleading to celebrate the anniversary while ignoring the serious challenges that undermine our enjoyment of freedom. As I have posted, our independence is challenged by foreign influence in American politics, both in terms of propaganda and disinformation to various methods of election interference, that have produced election results that have been tolerated, as well as by commercial temptations from foreign governments. And the principles of equality, liberty and representative government have been under threat not only from the Left, but increasingly from the far Right, both of which have been backed by hostile foreign powers, as I have also posted. There have been some limits of and public resistance to the slide toward authoritarianism, but not as much as needed at this critical moment in history. May Americans rediscover the causes of the American Revolution and consider the meaning of independence, and be inspired to defend their freedom. May new Patriots, in the “Spirit of 1776,” rise up to stand for independence and liberty.