Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
On this Fourth of July, Patriotism & Social Justice Rank High
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 7 years ago on
July 4, 2018

Share

A simple question about the quintessential American holiday of fireworks, cookouts and parades isn’t always simple.
As Americans celebrate the nation’s 242nd birthday, some feel a deeper sense of patriotism. For others, the social issues roiling the country weigh heavy this Independence Day.
Standing in front of Boston’s Faneuil Hall on Tuesday, tour guide Cara McIntyre said she takes special pride this time of the year in recounting the courage of American colonists like Samuel Adams, who called for rebellion against the English crown in fiery speeches at the historic hall.

Lamenting the Loss of Civility

But she laments that Americans’ ability to respectfully debate the toughest issues of the day — to disagree without being disagreeable — seems hopelessly lost.
“This bitter divisiveness of the last decade, I think the Founding Fathers would be really sad about that,” said the 57-year-old Massachusetts native as she greeted passers-by in her floral-print, colonial-era dress. “Social media has made bullies of all of us. People say things there that they’d never say to someone’s face.”
In Chicago, Philip Wiley, a 77-year-old retired public school counselor, is blunt about what’s ailing the nation.
“A lot of it has to do with the present administration in Washington,” Wiley said as he stopped to admire a massive flag hanging from the city’s iconic Wrigley Building Tuesday.

Best of Times in USA

AP photo of Floyd Champion
Floyd Champion, 77, counts money at his roadside produce stand in Alabaster, Ala., on Tuesday, July 3, 2018. A big fan of President Donald Trump, Champion said he plans to spend July 4 selling watermelons, tomatoes and other produce from the back of his pickup truck. Champion said he is feeling more patriotic than ever because of the success Trump has had in office. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)
But in Alabama, retired truck driver Floyd Champion is downright upbeat. He views these as the best of times in America.
Champion plans to mark the holiday the way he spends most days — selling watermelons, tomatoes, corn, plums and other produce from the back of his truck along a highway about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Birmingham, Alabama.
“I know it’s a big holiday and I love the holiday because it’s our independence,” said Champion, 77, of rural Shelby County. “But I have to sell this stuff, and I make money.”

Put Aside Politics on Independence Day

Out in Anchorage, Alaska, Darl Schaaff says July Fourth should be a time for a deeply divided nation to put personal politics aside.
“This is not about politics,” he said as took a break from helping set up the city’s downtown celebration. “This is about the founding of our country and freedom.”
Vietnam War veteran and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Thomas Moe, in Lancaster, Ohio, said the holiday should be a day to appreciate the differences that make the nation great.
“At a time when we seem to be at each other’s throats more than ever, I think we need to step back a little bit,” said the 74-year -old, who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war and later served as director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services. “We could be like Venezuela, or Russia or China, where everybody on the surface says or thinks the same thing, and we never want to go that way.”

Tribalism Divides Us

In Portland, Maine, chef Brad Messier agreed with the sentiments but said the country’s tribalism is too great to ignore.
“This is a holiday that, in theory, brings us together as a country but, in reality, we’re still camped out on our two very separate sides,” Messier said as he manned a booth selling strawberries and other produce at a downtown Portland farmers’ market. “For me, it seems to illustrate the glaring divides that we have. What we come together for is very superficial. How much does going and seeing fireworks really bring people together?”

The American Dream Continues

Photo of new American citizens at a naturalization ceremony
New citizens participate in a naturalization ceremony, Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at the New York Public Library. Two hundred people from 50 countries gained citizenship. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
But in New York, 32-year-old Baudel Ivan Osorio Herrera could only feel gratitude to his new nation.
The father of two boys, who came to the Bronx from Mexico when he was just seven was one of 200 immigrants taking their citizenship oath at New York City’s Public Library on Tuesday.
The timing of the momentous occasion wasn’t lost on him.
“I have my kids. I have my home,” Herrera said. “You could say we made our dream come true.”

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

China Exempts Some Goods From US Tariffs

DON'T MISS

Luigi Mangione Due in Court for Arraignment as Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty

DON'T MISS

Shedeur Sanders Snubbed in NFL Draft’s Round 1 but Leads List of Top Available Players for Day 2

DON'T MISS

Chargers Choose North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton in Effort to Boost Offense

DON'T MISS

49ers Draft Georgia Edge Rusher Mykel Williams With the No. 11 Pick in the NFL Draft

DON'T MISS

Trump’s Immigration Approval Ratings Decline as Enforcement Tactics Lose Support

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Tased, Arrested After Suspected Reckless DUI in Kerman

DON'T MISS

Madera Vehicle Burglary Leads to Arrests, Gang Charges for Juveniles

DON'T MISS

Why Texas Is Ahead of California on Bilingual Education

DON'T MISS

US Universities Help Foreign Students Weather Trump Deportations

UP NEXT

Chicago Bears Great Steve McMichael Dies at 67 After Battle With ALS

UP NEXT

Long Wait Is Over for Cam Ward, Travis Hunter and Other Draft Prospects Joining the NFL

UP NEXT

Golden State’s Jimmy Butler Injured in Game 2 Loss, His Status for Game 3 Unknown

UP NEXT

Jalen Green Makes Eight 3s to Help Rockets Even Series With Warriors

UP NEXT

US Justice Department Directs Investigations Over Gender-Affirming Care

UP NEXT

US Justice Department Cancels Hundreds of Grants for Police, Crime Victims

UP NEXT

Yelich’s 5th Career Slam and Bauers’ 2-Run Homer Power the Brewers to Win Over the Giants

UP NEXT

Happ Hits Game-Ending Single in the 10th as the Cubs Rally Past Dodgers

UP NEXT

Trump: No Plans to Fire Fed Chair Powell, but Wants Lower Rates

UP NEXT

Top Producer at ’60 Minutes’ Quits Amid Trump Lawsuit Pressure

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

Chargers Choose North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton in Effort to Boost Offense

25 minutes ago

49ers Draft Georgia Edge Rusher Mykel Williams With the No. 11 Pick in the NFL Draft

32 minutes ago

Trump’s Immigration Approval Ratings Decline as Enforcement Tactics Lose Support

44 minutes ago

Fresno Man Tased, Arrested After Suspected Reckless DUI in Kerman

49 minutes ago

Madera Vehicle Burglary Leads to Arrests, Gang Charges for Juveniles

1 hour ago

Why Texas Is Ahead of California on Bilingual Education

1 hour ago

US Universities Help Foreign Students Weather Trump Deportations

2 hours ago

Alphabet Says Waymo May Offer Robotaxis for Personal Ownership in Future

2 hours ago

US Pharma Tariffs Would Raise US Drug Costs by $51 Billion Annually, Report Finds

2 hours ago

Beware of Scammers Saying You Won the Publishers Clearing House Drawing

2 hours ago

China Exempts Some Goods From US Tariffs

(Reuters) – China has exempted some U.S. imports from its 125% tariffs and is asking firms to identify critical goods they need levy-f...

4 minutes ago

A general view shows container terminal in Hong Kong, China, April 23, 2025. (REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo)
4 minutes ago

China Exempts Some Goods From US Tariffs

Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealth Group chief executive Brian Thompson, appears in Manhattan Supreme Court on New York state murder and terrorism charges in New York City, U.S., February 21, 2025. (Curtis Means/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)
9 minutes ago

Luigi Mangione Due in Court for Arraignment as Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) throws a pass against Central Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP File)
20 minutes ago

Shedeur Sanders Snubbed in NFL Draft’s Round 1 but Leads List of Top Available Players for Day 2

25 minutes ago

Chargers Choose North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton in Effort to Boost Offense

32 minutes ago

49ers Draft Georgia Edge Rusher Mykel Williams With the No. 11 Pick in the NFL Draft

President Donald Trump speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP File)
44 minutes ago

Trump’s Immigration Approval Ratings Decline as Enforcement Tactics Lose Support

A Fresno man was arrested in Kerman on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, after allegedly driving recklessly, resisting arrest, and showing signs of being under the influence, police said. (Kerman PD)
49 minutes ago

Fresno Man Tased, Arrested After Suspected Reckless DUI in Kerman

A pedestrian was killed in a traffic collision early Monday morning in Madera, and police are asking for witnesses to come forward.
1 hour ago

Madera Vehicle Burglary Leads to Arrests, Gang Charges for Juveniles

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend