Washington DC—Reflections on July 4, 2025.
After the very disappointing but not unexpected passage of the big, ridiculous bill on July 3, I was in little mood to celebrate the 4th of July. Our democracy is being dismantled, and what we see before us is unmistakably fascism. The suffering this bill will bring to millions of people is not what our country stands for, and funding ICE with billions of additional dollars will only rush pain and terror to innocent people.
Instead of celebrating with fireworks or watching the parade in DC, I attended a group reading of the Declaration of Independence. It was originally slated to take place in front of the National Archives, home to the original, signed copy of the Declaration. The organizers had to move the location across the street, next to the Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, due to crowds, the parade, and a previously scheduled event at the Archives. There were about 30 or 40 of us gathered.
As I stood and listened to a number of people taking turns, with a bullhorn/microphone, to read each paragraph of the Declaration with solemnity and conviction, I had to fight hard to hear these important words, as they were being drowned out by the passing parade. Marching bands, people yelling, and all the commotion that comes with a big city parade proved to be more powerful than the readers and the message of freedom that they sought to share as a reminder of what our country fought so hard for nearly 250 years ago when we declared we would not be ruled by a tyrannical king.
Watching the scene unfold, I realized that drowning out the reading of the Declaration of Independence provided a metaphor for this very moment in time. Millions of people are voicing their dissent, their outrage, and their refusal to accept fascism in the U.S., but is it loud enough? Are our voices making a difference?
We must prevent this regime from drowning us out. We must be louder, bolder, and stronger than those we seek to defeat. We cannot, we must not, let the noise around us be louder than our message.
Grab your signs, and if you don’t have any, make one. My favorite is “Oh Hell No”, a multi-purpose outrage that applies to everything being done to dismantle our democracy. Choose the topic(s) that matter most to you: protecting immigrants, crushing ICE, SCOTUS caving to tyranny, No Kings, etc. Join a banner brigade on an overpass near you. Join any rallies in your area. Be active in helping to get out the vote. The mid-term elections are going to be absolutely critical in helping us eliminate tyranny and repair the damage done. Most importantly, stay informed through independent media channels that bring accurate and timely reporting.
Whatever you do, however you show up in this fight to save our democracy and resist tyranny, make sure your voice can be heard above the relentless din of those who seek to control us. It’s up to us now.
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