On July 4, 2026, the United States turns 250 – a milestone that should feel monumental; a chance to reflect on how far we’ve progressed as a nation.
Instead, for many of us, it feels like a day of mourning.
This country has never been perfect, and it never will be. But for most of my life, I believed in the promise of America – that everyone was entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” and that we were always moving toward “a more perfect union.”
Yet with each passing year, it feels like we’re regressing. This administration has normalized corruption and stripped away freedoms and federal funding from everyday Americans – all in favor of Trump’s ego and vanity projects.
As a result, many are conflicted about how to celebrate (or not) this Fourth of July. They want to fly the flag, to show hope in the country; but they fear being mistaken for a supporter of the current regime.
Here’s how I’ve come to think about it.
If someone you love was diagnosed with a terminal illness and on the brink of death right before your birthday, you likely wouldn’t still throw the party you’d planned – you’d stay by their side and grieve. Celebrating would feel trivial, maybe even wrong. And you certainly wouldn’t act like life was normal; to do so would mean denying the reality of the situation.
Our country is on life support. And I’m here to tell you: it’s okay not to celebrate.
Not celebrating doesn’t mean abandoning your country or letting Trump supporters own this holiday. It means refusing to embody joy you don’t feel, and in doing so, refusing to normalize what’s happening – not just with one man, but with the entire movement of Trumpism.
There’s a reason many Germans still don’t fly their flag with pride. Symbols can be taken and repurposed against everything they used to mean. But let’s be clear: Trump and the GOP don’t own patriotism, no matter how many flags, banners, and tee shirts say otherwise.
Real patriotism doesn’t live in branded merchandise. It lives in the hearts and minds of Americans who still believe in this country’s promise enough to fight for it. People like active-duty Air Force Major Jason Watson, arrested on the Capitol steps this week for calling for Trump’s impeachment, because his oath was to the Constitution, not to any one person.
It also lives in people like us and the smaller, everyday actions we take: treating each other with dignity and respect, standing up for the vulnerable in our community, and refusing to engage with friends and family who won’t acknowledge the damage being done.
Let them have their nationalism. We’ll keep our patriotism.
This year, give yourself permission not to celebrate. In fact, consider it your patriotic duty – a day of rest and resistance. Because the fight to save what’s left of our democracy is what needs to be the focus – and it’s far from over. In just a few months, we’ll need everyone’s energy to vote, and get out the vote, for the midterm elections in November.
So rest up, my fellow patriots. There’s a lot of work ahead – and even more, eventually, to celebrate.
—
November 3, 2026: Midterm Elections – A total of 468 seats in the U.S. Congress (33 Senate seats and all 435 House seats) are up for election this year. The most powerful thing ordinary Americans can do to restore congressional oversight is show up and vote blue up and down the ballot. Confirm your registration at iwillvote.com.
For more on the state of U.S. democracy, read my other recent essays: Dancing in an Age of Rage (April 2026); Wake Up, America (January 2026); To Be An American (July 2025)